Introduction
Aerotech’s Nanotranslation Crossed-Roller (ANT-LX) stages are the best in class in combining speed, accuracy, resolution, repeatability, reliability, and size. As an evolution of the popular ANT stage family, ANT-LX linear stages exhibit enhanced motion performance over Aerotech’s first generation ANT series. Product improvements such as 5 g acceleration, 500 mm/s velocity, enhanced load capacity, and standardized, universal base mounting patterns allow the use of this flexible stage family in an even wider range of configurations than its predecessors.

Noncontact Direct-Drive
All of the original ANT series’ direct-drive advantages have been preserved in the LX family. Only noncontact direct-drive technology offers the robust, accurate, and high-speed positioning necessary for mass production of precision devices. ANT-LX stages utilize advanced direct-drive technology pioneered by Aerotech to achieve the highest level of positioning performance. This direct-drive technology is high-performance, non-cogging, noncontact, high-speed, high-resolution, and high-accuracy, and the use of crossed-roller bearing elements allows even higher precision, smaller incremental moves to be accomplished reliably and repeatably. This unique drive and bearing combination, packaged in an extremely small-profile footprint, offers tangible advantages in many applications such as fiber alignment, optical delay element actuation, and scanning processing demanding smooth motion.

Flexible System Design
The ANT-LX family has universal mounting and tabletop patterns that allow for easy system integration. Two, three, or more axes can be easily combined for flexible system designs and multi-axis configurations. Both 25 mm and 50 mm travel versions are available and can be integrated without the need for interface plates, preserving low profile system designs.

System Characteristics
Outstanding accuracy, position repeatability, and in-position stability require high system resolution. The ANT-LX stage’s industry-leading 2.5 nm or better closed-loop resolution provides this high level of performance. Advanced, real-time axis calibration systems allow the highest level of system accuracy. High-speed, 40 MHz electronic circuitry enables extremely fast positioning, over 500 mm per second, even at 2.5 nanometer resolution. Excellent in-position stability, assisted by high-quality, no-creep linear bearings, enables virtually maintenance-free operation over the life of the product. Aerotech’s direct-drive technology has no hysteresis or backlash, enabling accurate and repeatable nanometer-scale motion.

Aerotech’s ARMS series direct-drive rotary motion simulators provide superior angular rates, accelerations, and positioning for the testing of inertial components and systems such as MEMS, gyroscopes, inertial measurement units, avionics, and accelerometers.

Accurate Velocity and Positioning
The ARMS family of stages provides excellent velocity and positioning control. When coupled with Aerotech’s advanced controls, resolution can be as fine as 0.02 arc second, with accuracy to ±2.5 arc second and repeatability to ±0.5 arc second. The motor and high-performance rotary encoder are directly coupled to a common shaft. The absence of gear trains and mechanical couplings means no position errors caused by hysteresis, windup, or backlash. The ARMS has rate resolution down to 0.002 deg/s and rate stability to 0.0001%.

Superior Mechanical Design
Dual large-diameter bearings are used to maximize performance with respect to wobble, moment stiffness, and repeatability. The large diameter bearings permit large payloads without compromising performance.

Brushless Direct-Drive
The ARMS series utilizes Aerotech’s S-series brushless, slotless motor to maximize positioning performance. The S-series motor provides all of the advantages of a brushless direct-drive motor – no brushes to wear, no gear trains to maintain, and high acceleration and high speeds. The slotless, ironless design eliminates cogging and, therefore, produces absolutely no torque ripple. With its low inherent inertia and optimized motor design, the ARMS is capable of speeds and accelerations that are significantly higher than competing products. Low inertia and zero backlash make the ARMS the ideal solution for applications requiring frequent directional changes.

Flexible Configurations
Slip rings and rotary unions are standard options available to ease integration of customer devices.

Advanced User-Friendly Controls
Aerotech rate tables are controlled with state-of-the-art Aerotech controls and drives. Our software packages are available as stand-alone applications, where no other language or compiler is needed, as well as LabVIEW®, C, and .NET software interfaces. Users can graphically generate their own motion profiles and execute them automatically with Aerotech’s new GUI Motion Designer software. Or, for users who already have their own motion simulation software, our software can easily accept files with arrays of velocity, position, and acceleration versus time profiles. This is then downloaded and run on the ARMS by our motion control software.

European Subsidiaries
Aerotech LTD., 
Jupiter House, Calleva Park
Aldermaston Berkshire
RG7 8NN England

Phone: +44 (0) 118 940 9400
FAX:+44 (0) 118  940 9401