X-Y-θ nano-positioning table system for a mother machine

Within recent manufacturing environment, there is an increasing demand for nanometer positioning table system with high stiffness, high resolution and high repeatability. In this study, therefore, a high-stiffness X-Y-theta nano-positioning table system has been developed for ultraprecision machine tools. The table is levitated by high-stiffness aerostatic bearings with porous material and driven by six voice coil motors in a non-contact condition. The table system is designed symmetrically about the driving axis and consequently free from nonlinear behavior and direction dependency. The performance of the developed table system has been verified through a series of nano-positioning experiments.