News | October 6, 2023

New Direct-Drive Rotation Stages For Ultra-High Precision Industrial Applications

PI - direct drive rotation stages

PI’s new family of direct-drive rotation stages are designed for continuous 24/7 operations, demanding extreme dynamic and static precision, with resolution down to 0.0015µrad, position accuracy of 10µrad, and bidirectional repeatability of 5µrad.

The V-622, V-623 and V-625 high-performance rotary stages are equipped with frictionless electromagnetic torque motors and precision ball bearings and complement PI’s popular A-622, A-623, and A-625 series of air bearing spindles. This new rotary stage range is versatile, allowing mounting and operation in any orientation, a crucial characteristic for numerous industrial automation applications.

Near Air Bearing Performance

Leveraging PI's extensive expertise in designing ultra-high-precision air bearing rotary tables, the newly developed V-622, V-623, and V-625 mechanical bearing rotary stages aim to deliver outstanding performance in terms of travel accuracy, flatness and wobble, and lifetime. These stages are equipped with ultra-precise deep groove ball bearings, preloaded, and lubricated prior to delivery, ensuring maintenance-free operation throughout the rotation stages’ entire lifespan.

Sizes and Velocity

The V-62x family comes with table diameters from 85mm to 200mm. All models feature a clear aperture, ranging from 15mm to 105mm. Maximum angular velocity is 20 revolutions per second or 7,200 deg/sec.

Absolute Encoder Option

A key feature of these stages is the choice of encoders, including absolute and incremental options. Absolute encoders provide explicit position information, facilitating precise determination of each angular position without the need for incremental counting. This feature ensures immediate availability of position information upon power-up, enhancing operational efficiency and safety.

Motion Controllers

For precise control, a range of motion controllers is available, both in single and multi-axis configurations. These EtherCat-compatible controllers use ACS servo and drive modules and can run multi-degree-of-freedom linear and rotary sub-assemblies, which are also offered by PI.

Applications for the Rotary Stages

The V-622, V-623, and V-625 rotary stages find applications across various fields, including optics and photonics, sample inspection, metrology, semiconductor testing and inspection, industrial automation, measuring technology, precision micro-assembly, and biotechnology.