Rotary Air Bearings & Air Bearing Tables
Precision rotary air bearings and air bearing rotation tables for ultra-smooth, frictionless motion in metrology, optics, semiconductor processing, inspection, torque testing, and OEM automation systems.
PI Nelson Air has developed an extensive catalog of rotary air bearings and air bearing tables for diverse applications such as optical grinding, roundness checking, disk drive inspection, semiconductor processing, torque testing, and many others.
In addition to standard air bearing tables, PI Nelson Air provides individually customized bearings for specific applications. When you call us with your rotary bearing application, we can quickly adapt one of our existing designs to fit the exact requirements.
Low Profile Series Rotary Air Bearing Tables
Standard rotary air bearing tables for precision rotation, inspection, metrology, calibration, and clean noncontact motion applications.
Custom Motorized Rotary Air Bearings
Custom rotary air bearing systems can be designed for special payloads, apertures, motorization requirements, speed ranges, and geometric accuracy targets.
PI Rotary Tables with Air Bearings
Motorized rotary air bearing stages combine direct-drive motion control with noncontact air-bearing guidance for ultra-precision angular positioning.
| Feature | Typical Capability |
|---|---|
| Total Indicated Runout | ±1 millionths of an inch |
| Flatness of Rotation | ±5 millionths, with ±2 millionths available |
| Motion Principle | Inherently frictionless and stictionless air film support |
| Stiffness | From 50,000 lbs/in to 4,000,000 lbs/in |
| Load Capacity | From 1 lb to 1100 lbs |
| Operating Pressure | From 15 psi to 90 psi |
| Materials | Hardcoat aluminum, stainless steel, and other materials available |
| High-Speed Operation | Rotary bearings can be balanced for high-speed applications |
Ultra-Precision Positioning
- Roundness checking
- Optical grinding
- Disk-drive inspection
- Semiconductor processing
- Calibration and metrology
Frictionless Motion
- Torque testing
- Force measurement
- Inspection systems
- Cleanroom positioning
- Custom automation systems
Mechanical Options
- Clear apertures
- Mounting hardware
- Tip/tilt/centration tables
- Custom fixturing
- Granite bases
Air and System Options
- Air tubing and fittings
- Filter, dryer, and regulator assemblies
- Integrated motors and encoders
- Motion controllers
- Custom system integration
Need a special rotary bearing? PI Nelson Air can adapt existing rotary air bearing designs or develop custom assemblies for demanding OEM, scientific, semiconductor, metrology, and automation applications.
Air Bearing Spindles
Rotary air bearing spindle designs support high precision rotation with very low error motion.