air bearing stages - q-sys bearings v1-1.pdf · air bearing stages in applications requiring...

Air Bearing Stages

In applications requiring extreme accuracy and stability, air bearings provide

significant advantages over other types of guidance. Typically running against a

lapped granite bearing surface, they provide a superbly smooth and effectively

friction-free solution. When combined with linear motors and optical encoders, the

result is a precise, reliable stage with high stiffness and zero maintenance.

Q-Sys engineers have a great deal of

experience of incorporating air

bearings into single and multi-axis

systems for individual requirements,

with both the lift and guidance

bearing surfaces in carefully designed

granite structures. Repeatable

precision is achieved by maintaining a

constant air gap of just a few microns,

using one of a number of pre-loading

techniques depending on the specifics

of the application.

Metrology

Inspection

Supreme precision

High reliability

Heavy payloads

Custom configurations

www.q-sys.eu

Examples

Q-Sys BV Grasbeemd 15b

5705 DE Helmond

The Netherlands

Tel: +31 (0)492 714434

Fax: +31 (0)492 714435

Email: sales@q-sys.eu

Q-Sys UK Wakeswood Lodge

St Mary Bourne

Andover SP11 6EW

England

Tel: +44 (0)1264 848245

Mob: +44 (0)7810 124425

Email : sales@q-sys.eu

©Copyright Q-Sys BV 2013 www.q-sys.eu

Unusually, this gantry beam assembly uses an extruded aluminium beam as the main support. The inkjet printing application required very low downtime combined with a demanding duty cycle so the reliability and maintenance free nature of air bearings was ideal.

This metrology bench uses vacuum pre-loaded bearings to maintain a constant air gap and to avoid introducing any local stress in the granite bearing surface.

This large format split axes platform uses a combination of granite base and granite slides with air bearings for both lift and guidance. The resulting system has superb stability and is used in a laser ablation tool for gen 6 display panel masters.