(OPTEK: Blairstown, NJ) -- Operations Technology Inc. (OPTEK), a manufacturer of precision metrology systems since 1978, has introduced a line of fast, highly accurate three-axis staging and transport systems with superior design features, suitable for a wide range of OEM applications.

Designed and manufactured in the United States, OPTEK Transport Systems feature granite bases and bearing ways, are driven by linear motors that generate no heat, and position to a small fraction of a micron. In addition, these air-bearing transports are close-looped to advanced, 1/10-micron linear scales that are bonded to granite X and Y axes.

With accuracy greater than 4 microns, repeatability greater than 3 microns, and a transport speed of up to 30 in. per second, OPTEK systems offer the fastest, most accurate transport solution in the industry. The systems also feature a center drive in all three axes, which reduces asymmetric thrust and eliminates the need for a separate (i.e., slave) scale. For optimal stability, systems feature split-axis operation—the product being staged moves in the Y axis, and the camera or other device moves in the X axis.

The systems’ Y-axis table and X-axis carriage “float” on air bearings, creating a friction-free operation that is extremely smooth and quiet, even at high speeds. This configuration also permits installation in clean-room environments because no lubrication is necessary. Other design refinements include the absence of expensive, noisy, friction-inducing bellows and pinch points at the front of the machine, which are common in competitive systems.

“Our systems are 100-percent documented in 3-D CAD solids, allowing easy configuration changes for customer applications,” says Rich Amon, president of OPTEK. “In addition, with onsite CNC machining, painting, and assembly operations, all systems are fabricated in the United States under one roof, making them a surprisingly affordable solution for OEMs.”

Each of OPTEK’s five transport systems, available in 12 in. × 12 in., 18 in. × 12 in., 28 in. × 24 in., 38 in. × 30 in., and 50 in. × 36 in. ranges, are provided with 8 in. of Z-axis travel. Systems are provided on floor-standing, welded steel frames, with or without amplifiers and computer controllers. Custom fiberglass “hoods” are also available, in addition to other options and accessories based on customer specifications.

OPTEK has been designing and manufacturing precision metrology systems since 1978. “Our core business has always been precision measuring systems for the printed circuit board fabrication industry, and we’ve recently expanded our business by offering these field-tested transports to OEMs for a variety of other applications,” says Amon.

For more information on OPTEK transport systems, e-mail Amon at ramon@optek.net, or visit www.optek.net/transports. To view one of OPTEK’s machines in operation, visit the company’s home page, select “interactive,” then select “Watch a Live 463VSA Demo.”