Hexapod micropositioning system provides motion with 6 degrees of freedom

PI (Physik Instrumente) has introduced a lower-cost hexapod to its family of parallel positioning devices. It produces motion in all 6 degrees of freedom (XYZ, pitch, yaw, and roll) and features a freely programmable center of rotation.

The new H-820 was developed for applications that require multiaxis motion and high flexibility but do not need precision on a nanometer or submicrometer level. Driven by brushless motors, the hexapod features linear travel to 3.94 in., rotary travel to 60 degrees, load capacity of 44.09 lbs., velocity of 0.79 IPS, and resolution in the micrometer range.

The hexapod is driven by six high-resolution actuators, all connected directly to one lightweight platform. This principle combines high system stiffness with a large, clear aperture. Because of the low moving mass, small steps can be performed with significantly shorter settling times compared to stacked multiaxis positioners.