Fast (voice-coil?) motorized X-Y stage

[Csúcs Gábor-3]

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Dear All,

For a special application we are searching for the "fastest possible"
motorized X-Y stage for an inverted microscope. As we would like so scan
well-plate sized samples, the scanning range should be quite large
(approx. 90x130 mm). On one of our dedicated high-throughput screening
microscopes we have a special (very fast) voice-coil driven system - I was
wondering if anyone of you know about the availability of this solution
for normal inverted microscopes. Or do you know alternatives? I'd
appreciate any feedback.

Greetings     Gabor

Gabor Csucs
ScopeM
Wolgang-Pauli Str. 14
CH-8093 Zurich

Phone: [phone]

[Michael Giacomelli]

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Whats the slowest translation time (per frame) you'd be happy with?
100 ms is not very hard for a several mm deflection and a good DC
brushless microscope stage.  Faster than that over large distances can
be more difficult.

Keep in mind that settling time for samples in liquid can be
non-negligible, and there is often there is some latency associated
with triggering a microscope (especially for confocal systems).  There
is little point in getting a stage with a 50 millisecond step response
if your media keeps flowing for 100 ms after each move.  This can be a
very big factor in system throughput, even compared to actuator
response time.

Mike

On Tue, Apr 21, 2015 at 12:02 PM, Csúcs  Gábor
<[hidden email]> wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
> *****
>
> Dear All,
>
> For a special application we are searching for the "fastest possible"
> motorized X-Y stage for an inverted microscope. As we would like so scan
> well-plate sized samples, the scanning range should be quite large
> (approx. 90x130 mm). On one of our dedicated high-throughput screening
> microscopes we have a special (very fast) voice-coil driven system - I was
> wondering if anyone of you know about the availability of this solution
> for normal inverted microscopes. Or do you know alternatives? I'd
> appreciate any feedback.
>
> Greetings     Gabor
>
> Gabor Csucs
> ScopeM
> Wolgang-Pauli Str. 14
> CH-8093 Zurich
>
> Phone: [phone]

[Craig Brideau]

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I've been using a linear brushless DC motor stage like what Michael
mentioned. They are quite speedy and might do the trick. The model I've
been using is the Thorlabs MLS203. One thing to keep in mind with the
linear brushless motors is they have no holding force when powered down, so
you be aware that the platform freewheels when the power is cut. They are
very quick though, somewhat similar to how maglev trains move.

Craig

On Tue, Apr 21, 2015 at 10:16 AM, Michael Giacomelli <[hidden email]> wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
> *****
>
> Whats the slowest translation time (per frame) you'd be happy with?
> 100 ms is not very hard for a several mm deflection and a good DC
> brushless microscope stage.  Faster than that over large distances can
> be more difficult.
>
> Keep in mind that settling time for samples in liquid can be
> non-negligible, and there is often there is some latency associated
> with triggering a microscope (especially for confocal systems).  There
> is little point in getting a stage with a 50 millisecond step response
> if your media keeps flowing for 100 ms after each move.  This can be a
> very big factor in system throughput, even compared to actuator
> response time.
>
> Mike
>
> On Tue, Apr 21, 2015 at 12:02 PM, Csúcs  Gábor
> <[hidden email]> wrote:
> > *****
> > To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> > http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> > Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your
> posting.
> > *****
> >
> > Dear All,
> >
> > For a special application we are searching for the "fastest possible"
> > motorized X-Y stage for an inverted microscope. As we would like so scan
> > well-plate sized samples, the scanning range should be quite large
> > (approx. 90x130 mm). On one of our dedicated high-throughput screening
> > microscopes we have a special (very fast) voice-coil driven system - I
> was
> > wondering if anyone of you know about the availability of this solution
> > for normal inverted microscopes. Or do you know alternatives? I'd
> > appreciate any feedback.
> >
> > Greetings     Gabor
> >
> > Gabor Csucs
> > ScopeM
> > Wolgang-Pauli Str. 14
> > CH-8093 Zurich
> >
> > Phone: [phone]
>