Positioning system
A positioning system is the term used for drive technology , single or multi-axis systems that are used to position workpieces , workpiece carriers , tools or tool carriers in machines and technical systems .
The positioning systems include
- Linear systems such as cross tables (XY tables) and portal systems
- Rotary positioning systems, called rotary tables (also: rotary tables or rotary tables), which allow alignment at a certain angle to the starting or reference position; Example: dividing head
Also industrial robots (eg. As gantry robots for coordinate measuring machines ) do such. T. positioning tasks.
Further areas of application for positioning systems can be found in
- of microscopy (eg. as in measuring microscopes )
- the measurement technology (for. example, engine acoustics )
- the manufacture of wafers and chips in the electronics industry
- of handling equipment (eg. for example, pick-and-place applications)
- optical metrology (here also multi-axis , i.e. three or more axes).
Positioning accuracy
The positioning accuracy of a positioning system can be "selected" depending on the requirements of the respective application. It depends on
- the accuracy of the drive used ( toothed belt , linear motor , ball screw drive, etc.)
- the precision of the guides used ( shaft guides , rail guides , etc.)
- the resolution of the position control .
Basically, the following applies: the higher the required positioning accuracy, the higher the design effort and the more precisely the components of the system have to be selected, i.e. H. the more expensive the respective positioning system.
Depending on the system, positioning accuracies from a few millimeters to accuracies below one µm (in the nanometer range) are achieved today .
Market penetration
Positioning systems are mostly offered on the market by specialized companies in a wide variety of designs and accuracies as complete, standardized assemblies and U. adapted to the requirements of the respective applications or developed together with the respective customer .
However, there are still companies that develop and build positioning systems themselves.