Hybrid Design Improves Inspection System’s Motion Platform

A hybrid design was used to create a rotary stage that could bridge the performance gap between a typical servo motor and high-precision direct-drive rotary stage. Today, this rotary stage is at the heart of a new inspection system used in the manufacture of micro-sized electronic components.

The customer’s original design options included an open loop motor, which would compromise system accuracy, restrict throughput, and result in undesirable heating effects. It also included a more expensive, precision direct drive rotary stage in order to achieve the needed accuracy and throughput, which also increased the system’s size. The technology found in this new hybrid design offered the precision of the former solution while eliminating these problems.

The hybrid design uses a Mercury™ 1500 encoder inside a NEMA 23 servo motor to provide motion feedback. The small size of the sensor (8.4-mm tall) allowed it to be integrated into the motor housing to minimize overall size. The encoders also produce high-resolution, quadrature output right from the sensor head, which eliminates any potential noise problems from motor generated EMI.

The motor was designed with ABEC7 precision bearings and a large, 16-mm through hole, allowing easy access for optical components and inspection signals to transmit down through the motor. This combination of features achieved the desired throughput and provided seamless integration into the inspection system at a reasonable cost.

More Information
For more information on MicroE Systems’ (Natick, MA) Mercury™ encoders, contact Mitch Jones at info@microesys.com or (800) 355-4047. Visit MicroE Systems online at http://info.ims.ca/5081-332.

For more information on this application and Applimotion’s (Loomis, CA) HO Series servo motor, contact Robert Mastromattei at (916) 652-3118, ext. 201, or visit http://info.ims.ca/5081-333.