Our hexapod actuators

Discover what our actuators are made of: motors, encoders, ball screws, joints, etc…

Our customers regularly ask us why we choose one particular engine technology over another. Several parameters are taken into account when choosing the most suitable motor for an application: speed, torque, heat dissipation, size, cost…

Here we try to briefly summarize the main advantages and disadvantages of the main motor technologies that we use in our positioning hexapods.

Technology
type
Stepper motor
DC brush motor
(also called DC motor)
DC brushless motor
(also called Brushless motor)
Advantages
  • Cost effective motor
  • Encoder feedback is not necessary
  • Holding torque useful to guarantee
    irreversibility
  • High power density
  • Higher speed at full torque
  • High efficiency
  • High power density
  • Higher speed at full torque
  • High efficiency
  • Compared to DC brush motor, lifetime is limited only by bearing lifetime
Drawbacks
  • Limited maximum speed
  • Resonance frequency
  • Low efficiency
  • Motor becomes very hot
  • Requires encoder to control positioning
  • Brush wear out limits lifetime
  • Slighty more expensive
  • Requires encoder to control positioning
  • Require phasing
  • Control is « more complex ». Not applicable in our case thanks to our advanced controller.
  • More expensive
    

Symétrie, hexapod expert for 25 years

Our precision positioning experts are here to answer your technical questions and help you choose the solution best suited to your application.

FAQ

The hexapod can perform combined movements across its six degrees of freedom: three translations (X, Y, Z) and three rotations (Rx, Ry, Rz). This flexibility allows for complex adjustments that would be impossible with conventional guidance systems.

Our hexapods achieve resolutions of around 0.1 µm for linear motion and a few microradians for rotational motion. Repeatability is one of our key strengths, ensuring the accuracy of every positioning operation.

We use high-performance materials such as anodised aerospace-grade aluminium, stainless steel and components specifically designed for demanding environments (vacuum, cleanroom, non-magnetic).

Absolutely. We provide function libraries (SDKs) compatible with LabVIEW, C++ and Python, as well as specific interfaces for research environments such as EPICS and TANGO.

Safety and reliability are at the heart of our design. The software features configurable travel limits, virtual collision detection and hardware safety features to protect your equipment and samples.

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Positioning Hexapods
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