Available Equipment

AGS1000 systems are designed for applications including high-speed pick-and-place, automated assembly, vision inspection, dispensing stations and high-accuracy inspection. 

• 300-400: 300 mm x 400 mm Cartesian gantry with linear motor, linear encoder and limits
• 10X2: Dual brushless linear motors – dual BLMC-142 (lower X-axis only)
• 10: Brushless linear motor – BLMC-142 (upper Y-axis)
• 2LTAS-LTAS: Dual linear encoder for lower axis; linear encoder for upper axis; amplified sine output
• BP300-400: Aluminum base plate for AGS1000 with risers. Clearance distance to bottom of Z-Stage is 110mm.

System Specifications:

• Electrical Resolution: 10nm on Gantry; 100nm on Z-Stage
• Accuracy:+/-5μm for Gantry; +/-0.5μm for Z-Stage
• Repeatability:+/-2μm for Gantry; +/-0.3μm for Z-Stage
• Load on Stages:<3kg on each Z-Stage
• Load CG:<50mm from Z-Stage tabletop
• Min / Max Velocity: 120mm/sec for Gantry; 50mm/sec for Z-Stage
• Acceleration: 0.2g
• Move Profile: Various tep and scan for dispensing

This printing system comprises 2 Aerotech nanopositioning stages, high precision pneumatic controller dispensers (UltimusTM V, EFD), and a variable magnification Olympus stereoscope for imaging and alignment. 

• The nanopositioning stages offer 10 nm minimum incremental motion (XY resolution), ±5 µm accuracy, ±2 µm bi-directional repeatability and an up to 1,200 cm2 printing bed. 

The x-y-z motion of the stages is controlled by an A3200 multi-axis motion controller and Motion Composer Suite software, providing a clean operator interface. 

• The motion paths can be generated either via directly writing the appropriate G-code commands with the help of CADFusion software or translating from a CAD design into G-code using 3D slicer software (e.g. Slic3R, Cura, NetFab, etc). 
• This motion control system realizes the translation of complex designs to high-resolution 3D printed products. 

Sensing modules include a structured light 3D scanner (HDI 109, LMI Technologies) and machine vision cameras (Chameleon 3, FLIR) that can be integrated with the motion control system to form a closed-loop feedback system for conformal printing on moving targets. 

The printers are equipped with precision dispensers with a pressure range of 0-100 psi. 

• The dispenser features fully electronic programmable control of dispense time, air pressure and vacuum to ensure exceptionally high accuracy, repeatability and shot consistency. 
• The output of the dispenser can be multiplied to 7× via a high-pressure dispensing tool (HP-7X, EFD), which facilitates the extrusion of high-viscosity inks/materials. 
• Multiple dispensers can be mounted on the printer head and controlled via the A3200, which enables multi-material printing for complex 3D objects with an arbitrary form factor and a wide palette of viscosities and material functionalities.

The printing systems can be equipped with UV light system (OmniCure S1500 Spot UV Curing System with wavelength range of 320-500 nm, or handheld 395 nm UV light), lasers (visible/NIR), spray valve nozzle (781Mini Spray Valve, Nordson EFD) and heating or cooling systems surrounding the nozzle tips depending on the application and material printing requirements. 

A flexible assortment of ink materials can be employed in this system, such as silicones, fugitive inks, polyelectrolyte complexes, colloidal nanoparticle suspensions, hydrogels, cell-laden biological inks, UV curable epoxy, and thermoplastic polymers. 

The position stages and dispensers can be simultaneously controlled and integrated with additional hardware for advanced sensing or imaging using programming languages such as MATLAB or LabView.

Each Aerotech printer is operated by an A3200 Controller, which has the following software options:

• Write, compile, execute, debug programs in Aerobasic or G-code
• Full access to .NET 2.0, or C
• Access full diagnostics, fault, and status information
• Access and set I/O, registers, and variables
• Collect, analyze and save data
• View files from machine for analysis and record keeping
• Connect PC to machine directly with FireWire card
• Connect PC to machine remotely through Ethernet TCP/IP
• Upgrades can be installed (firmware or controller) using Loader
• 2 axis of software motion engine
• Simulate trajectory on PC
• Installs Intime on the PC