One of the most important components in today’s modern motion systems is the translation stage, otherwise known as the linear stage. These machine components are very useful in systems that require highly accurate translation of loads, which is why they are incorporated into a wide variety of precision instruments used by manufacturing industries and scientific disciplines.
More of this will be discussed below, but before that, here’s a little background on the 6 degrees of freedom.
The 6 Degrees of Freedom
This refers to the kind of movements that a rigid body in a three-dimensional space is able to perform. It is often used to describe the rotational of translational parameters available to a specific object.
Basically, movement along the X, Y, and Z axes are known as translation, which is characterized by movement along a straight line. There are 3 basic types of translation, namely:
- Surging – Forward and backward movement along the x-axis
- Swaying – Transverse or left and right movement along the y-axis
- Heaving – Vertical or up and down movement along the z-axis.
On the other hand, turning movements that cause an object to face another axis is known as rotation. As you may have already deduced, there are also three types of rotation:
- Rolling – A movement that involves tilting side to side on the x-axis
- Pitching – A movement that involves tilting forward and backward on the y-axis.
- Yawning – A movement that involved turning left and right on the z-axis.
How Linear Stages Work
Translation stages are incorporated into motion systems in order to constrain loads or objects to a single axis of motion—a single type of translation along either the X, Y or Z axis. After the load has been restricted to a single degree of freedom, the linear stage’s next task is to actuate the load, providing accurate incremental motion along a track.
Linear stages use a variety of actuation methods, including the use of nuts, ballscrews, piezo actuators, belts and pulley systems, rack and pinion systems, and linear motors, with the last one being generally considered as the most precise actuation technology.
Although linear stages are used to constrain payloads to a single axis of motion, they can also be combined in order to expand their configuration into multiple axes of translation. One such popular type of assemblage is the X-Y stage, which is used in instruments like the microscope.
The Uses of Translation Stages
Microscopes, of course, are very important in a lot of different scientific fields, including histology, microbiology, pathology, geology and a whole host of other life and physical sciences.
Additionally, microscopes are also used in a variety of other important fields and industries, including semiconductor device manufacturing, the jewelry industry, and forensic science.
However, linear stages are used in other instruments and machinery as well. For instance, they are incorporated into high-performance equipment like photonics instruments, automatic liquid handling robots, laser machining equipment, and many other industrial automation applications.
Translation or linear stages are very important machinery components that enable the realization of many modern industrial miracles. Their ability to perform very precise automated positioning has led to the numerous advances in our understanding of the world around us and created opportunities for us to perform tasks in a more efficient manner.
