Aerotech: Linear Motor Drive Precision Stage (ABL8000 Series)

Linear Stages

Aerotech manufactures a large selection of positioning stages including linear stage models that utilize our own brushless linear direct-drive servomotors, as well as ball-screw models driven with Aerotech brush or brushless rotary motors. Innovators in linear stage design, manufacture and integration, Aerotech builds linear positioning stages for high-performance applications in industrial robots, fiber optics and photonics, vision systems, machine tools, assembly, semiconductor equipment, medical component laser machining, laser micromachining, electronic manufacturing, and other industrial automation applications.

Aerotech linear stages are available in X, XY and XYZ combinations to meet your motion requirements.

ABL8000 Air-Bearing Direct-Drive Linear Stage

Design Features

Leading-edge manufacturing, particularly in the semiconductor and data storage industries, demands positioning tolerances beyond the capability of conventional ball-screw and mechanical-bearing positioning systems. The ABL8000, with its air-on-air preload, exceptionally high stiffness and excellent geometric characteristics was designed specifically to meet those demands.

Air-Bearing Design

The ABL8000 incorporates an active preload on both the vertical and horizontal surfaces. The opposing thin-film pressure maintains the bearing nominal gap tolerance. This design, in addition to the large air-bearing surface that distributes the load over a large surface area, results in a stage with outstanding stiffness that is ideal for heavy or offset loading.

Proprietary manufacturing techniques result in a stage with unsurpassed geometric characteristics. The air bearing has an inherent averaging effect that maximizes performance. The thin film will fill small surface voids and allow for other irregularities. This characteristic yields superior pitch, roll, yaw, straightness and flatness specifications.

Linear Motor Drive

The driving force behind this stage is Aerotech’s BLM series brushless linear servomotor. Aerotech’s long history and experience as a motor manufacturer is reflected in this design. The BLM utilizes an ironless forcer, which means there is zero cogging and no attractive forces – resulting in unsurpassed smoothness of motion. Capable of generating high force and velocity, the BLM represents the ultimate combination of power and performance.

Zero Maintenance

Our totally noncontact air bearing, noncontact linear motor drive and noncontact feedback device ensure years of maintenance-free operation at the high performance levels that are expected of Aerotech equipment. Because there is no mechanical contact between moving elements, the ABL8000 experiences no wear or reduction in performance over time. Service life is virtually unlimited and since there is no lubrication – only clean, dry gas – air bearings are ideal for clean room and medical applications.

Cable Management

We carefully optimize the cable bend radius to ensure years of trouble-free operation. In the unlikely event of failure, Aerotech’s modular design makes cable replacement quick and easy with minimal downtime.

To facilitate integration into the final system, we include all customer-required cables, air hoses, etc. in our CMS bundle. Both ends are fully connectorized for simple integration into the customer’s machine.

Model No.: ABL80020, ABL80030, ABL80040, ABL80050, ABL80075, ABL80100