LG designs positioning system for I24 MX beamline
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LG Motion product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Jul 21, 2009
LG Motion has created a large custom-built X-Z detector positioning system for the I24 Microfocus Macromolecular Crystallography (MX) beamline at the Diamond Light Source synchrotron science facility.
The design specification called for the ability to load the positioning rig with multiple detectors up to 280kg in mass with a volume of around 1m3 over a 1.55m horizontal and 0.85m vertical travel range to allow increased flexibility and research throughput on the I24 beamline.
LG Motion has designed and supplied a custom-built two-axis precision positioning system for 280kg detectors at Diamond Light Source
At acceptance testing, the system was actually loaded with 420kg - 1.5 times the rated load - and positioning repeatability for both axes was measured to better than 10 microns, which is well inside the desired specification for the I24 detector.
The newly commissioned I24 beamline is used by chemists and structural biologists for molecular-level studies in genomics, immune systems and membrane proteins and for research into drug design that combats major diseases and viruses.
Minuscule protein crystal samples are illuminated with I24's intense X-ray beam and the detectors are positioned to a precision of just a few tens of microns to capture scattered light that reveals the complexities of protein structure and their functions.
LG Motion's custom-built detector positioning system is based around Schneeberger Monorail AMS series linear motion guide bearings with magnetised track linear encoders built into the rails.
This compact and durable bearing support and fully protected incremental position measurement system is used extensively on large-scale precision machine applications with advantages of 'close-to-load' measurement and simplified installation plus cost benefits over separately supplied bearings and encoders.
Two AMS bearing rails are fixed to a large 3,000mm x 1,000mm horizontal base plate that is bolted to the experiment hutch floor with provision for alignment, levelling and grouting on installation.
Each horizontal rail has three bearing carriages that support the upper moving horizontal stage carriage plate, which is approximately 1,000mm square and 20mm in thickness.
The 280kg detector load is evenly distributed on the horizontal stage carriage plate using a welded steel framework with four vertical linear bearing rails that allow the vertical translation of the detector mounting platform, which is fabricated from Minitec Profilesystem machine framing components.
With one pair of bearing rails utilising three bearing carriages and the opposing pair just one carriage, this design is said to be preferred to a more conventional dual-bearing arrangement with an inherent overhung load, allowing for smaller linear bearings and simplified power transmission mechanics to be used.
Each axis is servo motor driven with precision ballscrews, bearing-block-type supports and a flexible coupling.
The vertical axis includes a safety brake and further inline planetary gearhead reduction to ensure that it does not back-drive under power-off conditions, even if the failsafe brake is disengaged for any reason.
Both axes also include datum and over-travel limit switches as a part of the specification.
During the design approval, manufacture and commissioning, LG Motion worked closely with scientists and support staff at Diamond to ensure that the detector positioning system was installed on budget and on time and fully met the relevant machine directives, safety standards and performance specifications originally required for the project.
As a key distributor for various motion control equipment manufacturers, including Schneeberger, Agile Systems and SMAC, plus a full design service and in-house manufacturing capability and its own range of linear and rotary stages, LG Motion provides a complete service for all types of customised positioning systems.
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