Air bearings

Air Slides

Dovetial air slides

Motorised Dovetail Air Slides

Ultra-precise, non-contact motion platform for reliable testing or calibration from 10 mHz to 600 Hz.

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The Motorised Dovetail Air Slide (DTAS) is engineered for highly accurate calibration or testing motion, speed or position. Designed to ensure reliable and traceable results.

A motion system must generate extremely controlled and clean movements. Especially at very low frequencies, mechanical imperfections quickly become visible in measurement results. The DTAS operates in a frequency range from 10 mHz (0.01 Hz) up to 600 Hz, covering both very low- and high-frequency and high-frequency motion characteristics. 

At a glance

• Fully frictionless motion
• Frequency from 10 mHz to 600 Hz
• Ultra-stable dovetail geometry
• Plug-and-play system with integrated measurement
• Customisable hardware and software configuration

Motorised Dovetail Air Slide demo

Eliminating vibrations

Traditional motion systems introduce unwanted disturbances. Air bushings on shafts can cause bending, resulting in low-frequency vibration, while ball-bearing systems generate vibration through mechanical contact. In precision calibration, even minimal disturbances can affect measurement accuracy. The DTAS eliminates these risks through a fully contactless motion architecture, ensuring smooth and predictable linear movement.

In addition, the dovetail geometry restricts unwanted degrees of freedom and prevents acceleration in incorrect directions, such as vertical or lateral motion. This guarantees extremely flat and stable movement. The dovetail structure is mounted directly onto a granite base, creating a rigid mechanical foundation that supports high-accuracy calibration in professional environments.

Development and validation

Compared to a standard dovetail air slide, the DTAS is delivered as a complete plug-and-play system with integrated measurement. The DTAS was originally developed for a specific application where both high performance and cost-efficiency were required. This focused engineering approach resulted in a system that outperforms many standard alternatives. Because we design the system ourselves, we are able to adapt both hardware and software to customer-specific requirements. The system can be configured to match specific motion profiles, test procedures and integration environments.

We developed the system by doing research with our own precision motion platform. Both the DTAS and the motion platform are based on a dovetail air slide combined with a motion controller, but their objectives differ. The motion platform is optimised for ultra-high repeatability, while the DTAS focuses on ultra-stable performance. During development, repeatability variations were identified and analysed on the motion platform. The insights gained from in-house research were implemented in the DTAS design and integrated into the validation and testing procedures.

Customization and application

Because we design the system ourselves, we can adapt both hardware and software to specific customer requirements, ensuring a reliable and customisable solution. This includes adapting components, selecting alternative encoders or motors, and modifying control systems to achieve different performance characteristics. Depending on the requirements, the system can be configured for higher speeds, increased load capacity, improved measurement accuracy, or seamless integration into existing setups.

This combination of internal development and a modular system design allows us to deliver a solution that is aligned with the intended application and operating conditions. You can think about accelerometer callibration, form measurement or any other application where high-precision, extreme-straight or ultra-flat motion control is required.

Our Motorised Dovetail Air Slides portfolio

Dovetail Air Slides combine an accurate guide with an Air Slide ready fit for installation. Compared with End Supported Air Slides, the Dovetail Air Slides feature a constant support configuration, whereby the stage wraps around the sides but not underneath the guide rail, thus offering heavier load carrying capacity. Continually supported linear slides allow for high acceleration and zero hysteresis, delivering exceptional stiffness and damping.

The continual support configuration prevents guide bar sag, which can occur over a long span. The Dovetails also feature the lowest profile track, making them an ideal fit for space conscious linear motion applications. All of our Dovetail Air Slides are easily retrofitted to your current system and feature mounting points for your choice of encoders and non-contact linear motors.

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