The value of laboratory and testing equipment lies in its data accuracy and repeatability. With the rise of automated laboratories and high-throughput screening, demands on the internal motion systems are increasing. This relies directly on the high precision and stability of the motion components. Key technical challenges include: 1) High-Resolution Positioning: Sample stages and optical components require micron or even nanometer-level precision. 2) Low-Speed Smoothness: During slow processes like scanning or titrating, motion must be smooth and jitter-free to ensure consistent measurements. 3) EMC Performance: Preventing electromagnetic interference (EMI) from motor drivers affecting highly sensitive sensors (e.g., photomultipliers, mass spectrometers). 4) Miniaturization: Modern benchtop instruments have severe space constraints, requiring highly integrated drive units.
AKT Product Solution
AKT provides high-precision drive solutions for scientific instruments, primarily centered on Hybrid Stepper Motors, supplemented by Brushless DC Motors (BLDC) for specific needs.
- High-Resolution & Smoothness Solution:
This is the core strength of Hybrid Stepper Motors. Our stepper series (including compact NEMA 8 to NEMA 23 frame sizes) is the foundation for precision positioning. We strongly recommend our 0.9° high-resolution stepper motors, whose step angle is half that of conventional motors. This provides double the positioning accuracy and superior low-speed smoothness with the same driver subdivision, making it ideal for enhancing instrument resolution.
Motor performance is highly dependent on the driver. AKT’s high-performance stepper drivers utilize advanced current control, S-curve acceleration, and built-in anti-resonance algorithms to effectively eliminate vibration and noise at medium-to-low speeds, ensuring smooth scanning. - High-Reliability & Dynamic Performance Solution:
For sample-handling robots in high-throughput screening, speed and reliability are crucial. To prevent step loss during high-speed moves or accidental impacts, we offer Closed-Loop Stepper Motor Systems. By integrating an encoder for real-time position correction, this system allows for higher acceleration, runs cooler, and eliminates step loss, providing a perfect upgrade from open-loop steppers. - Continuous Rotation & Speed Control Solution:
For applications requiring long-duration continuous rotation and precise speed control (e.g., centrifuges, stirrers, peristaltic pumps), our BLDC Motors are the superior choice. Paired with a BLDC driver, they offer a wide range of precise, closed-loop speed control from tens to thousands of RPM.
Engineering & Customization Capabilities:
We offer high flexibility for instrument clients, such as providing linear stepper motors with integrated precision lead screws, matching with small planetary gearboxes for micro-feeds, and customizing low-inductance windings to match third-party high-performance drivers. All AKT drivers feature EMC-conscious PCB layouts to minimize interference with sensitive internal circuitry.
Typical Application Equipment Examples
- Liquid Handling Stations:
Pipetting arms require high-speed, precise, and repeatable X-Y-Z positioning to aspirate and dispense micro-liter (μL) level fluids. Our NEMA 17/23 hybrid steppers (or closed-loop steppers) are ideal for driving the X/Y/Z axes. Meanwhile, the piston in the syringe module is driven by a small stepper motor (NEMA 11/14), which achieves extremely high-precision fluid metering via a micro-stepping driver. - Automated Microscope Stages:
Autofocus (Z-axis) and sample stages (X-Y axes) demand sub-micron positioning accuracy. Our 0.9° high-resolution stepper motors, combined with high-micro-stepping drivers and a precision transmission (like a lead screw), deliver the fine movement required. Their high holding torque also ensures the stage remains perfectly still during imaging. - Spectrometers / Chromatographs:
Grating rotation and filter wheel switching in spectrometers, as well as autosamplers in chromatography, all require high-repeatability positioning. The digital, open-loop nature of hybrid stepper motors is a perfect fit, ensuring every measurement is taken under identical conditions and guaranteeing data comparability.
Summary
We understand that “precision” is the core of scientific instrumentation. AKT is committed to providing a stable and reliable power foundation for precision instruments through advanced stepper and brushless control technology. We are eager to collaborate with your R&D team, offering integrated selection support from motors and planetary gearboxes to drivers and parameter matching, ensuring our motion solutions align perfectly with your instrument’s design specifications.