Development of an Angstrom Positioning System

Research Project

Project/Area Number	07555375
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	試験
Research Field	設計工学・機械要素・トライボロジー
Research Institution	Tottori University
Principal Investigator	MIZUMOTO Hiroshi Tottori Univ., Fac.of Enf., Professor, 工学部, 教授 (80108795)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	KAMI Yoshihiro Nachi-Fujikoshi Co.Ltd., Research staff, 技術開発部, 研究員 SHIMIZU Tatuhito Nachi-Fujikoshi Co.Ltd., Research staff, 技術開発部, 研究員 ARII Shiro Tottori Univ., Fac.of Eng., Assocaite Professor, 工学部, 助教授 (80222751) 清水龍人不二越, 技術開発部, 研究員
Project Period (FY)	1995 – 1996
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 1996)
Budget Amount *help	¥3,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000) Fiscal Year 1996: ¥3,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000)
Keywords	angstrom positioning / aerostatic bearing / aerostatic guideway / diamond turning / friction drive / machine tool / nanotechnology / positioning system / twist-roller friction drive
Research Abstract	It has been reported by the head investigaor that the positioning resolution of the twist-roller friction drive hydrostatic bearing type can be 0.2nm. In the present reearch, a twist-roller friction drive of ball bearing type is proposed for realizing an angstrom positioning system which can be used in ultraprecision machine tools and measuring machines. A positioning system havibg two-axs (X-axis and Z-axis) was made, and the positioning performance of each axis was analyzed. The X-asix employs a large size of twist-roller friction drive and an aeroatatic guideway, while the Z-axis employs a small size of twist-roller friction drive and a cross-roller guideway. The positioning resolution of the X-axis was shown to be 0.5nm, and in spite of the use of ball bearings, it is proved that the twist-roller friction drive can realize the angstrom positioning. The positioning resolution of the Z-axis was 10nm, which is as small as the positioning resolution of the ball screw. A diamond turning test was executed by mounting a work spindle on the X-table and a tool post on the Z-table. A mirror-like surface was obtained by turning, thus the two-axs positioning system can be regarded as an ultra-precision machine tool. The research concludes that the twist-roller friction drive of ball bearing type facilitates the manufacture of an ultraprecision positioning system which can be used in as clean environement, and can take the place of the ball screw.