ALIO Industries Responds to Demand for High Work Space and Highly Precise Cartesian Gantries

(October 25^th 2023, Arvada, CO, USA) Cartesian gantries are robotic and motion control systems that operate within a defined three-dimensional space based on the orthogonal X, Y, and Z axes of the Cartesian coordinate system. Utilizing linear motors, precision bearings and state-of-the-art geometric error compensation techniques these gantries enable precise movement along each axis, allowing for straight-line paths in any direction within the system’s defined workspace.

As industries evolve, there’s a push towards miniaturization, increased product complexity, and higher quality standards. In today’s industrial environment, highly precise Cartesian gantries are crucial due to the ever-increasing demand for accuracy, repeatability, and speed in production and manufacturing processes. Their simplistic and modular design allows for easy scaling, adaptability, and high repeatability, making them a popular choice for ultra-precise motion control.

These precise gantries allow for tight tolerances to be achieved in applications ranging from semiconductor manufacturing, 3D printing, and automated assembly lines, to scientific research equipment and medical devices. Additionally, in an era of automation and Industry 4.0, the integration of these accurate systems facilitates more efficient and flexible production lines, enabling quicker adjustments and responses to market demands. Thus, their importance cannot be understated as they directly contribute to increased productivity, reduced waste, and enhanced product quality, solidifying their role in the competitive industrial landscape.

ALIO Industries’ Cartesian gantries offer large work areas and superior positioning, ideal for a range of pick and place applications. The company’s Cartesian robots are built with precision linear guide rails or air bearings for movement across a horizontal plane, programming is simple, and they are adaptable to limited floor space constraints.

Bill Hennessey, President of ALIO Industry says, “In pick and place applications, the large work areas offered by ALIO’s Cartesian gantries offers a significant advantage by enhancing operational flexibility and efficiency. Such an expansive workspace allows the system to access and manipulate a broader array of components simultaneously, streamlining batch processes and enabling faster production cycles. Moreover, it accommodates the handling of larger products or the simultaneous processing of multiple smaller items, effectively increasing throughput. This spatial flexibility also means that the system can be easily reconfigured or adapted to handle diverse product sizes or types without substantial modifications, catering to the ever-changing demands of modern production lines. In essence, a larger work area not only boosts productivity but also ensures that the gantry remains versatile and adaptable to various pick and place requirements.”

ALIO’s combination of components and motion knowhow is the key to its production of Cartesian gantries that fulfil complex customer requirements. These include high performance motors capable of precision movement even with high payloads and mechanisms that avoid crashes (like having the z stage moving upwards/away from the product instead of falling down in cases of power loss). The structure of the machined parts of such a system must offer outstanding stiffness and be rigid to reduce vibrations and guarantee short settling times (again important for precision and overall throughput improving system efficiency).

Hennessey concludes, “ALIO’s Cartesian gantries are also ingeniously engineered to overcome traditional floor space constraints, ensuring optimal performance even in limited areas. A significant attribute of our design philosophy is modularity and efficient use of space. Furthermore, our commitment to precision ensures that every component and subsystem is optimized for compactness while retaining unparalleled accuracy. This means that even in constrained spaces our Cartesian systems can deliver the expected precision and repeatability. This makes them a preferred choice for industries where floor space is at a premium but high-performance motion control is non-negotiable.”