KOHZU Frequently Asked Questions
Below are frequently asked questions. If you have additional questions, give us a call or send us an email from our Contact page.
Are KOHZU stage suitable for PRODUCTION applications?
Yes, nearly 2/3’s of our US based customers enjoy our quality precision stages in production applications.
Does KOHZU offer encoders?
Yes. We offer both rotary and linear encoders on most products. Rotary encoders will measure the location of the motor shaft where the linear encoders will measure the position of the stage.
Does KOHZU offer vacuum compatible stages?
Yes. Almost all KOHZU’s standard stages can be made to be vacuum compatible. Please ask!
What are the advantages of a 5-phase stepper motor vs. a 2-phase stepper motor?
A 5-phase stepper motor offers improved performance in high precision motion applications. They offer higher resolution, lower vibration, higher acceleration & deceleration rates (due to the smaller step angle) and they are less likely to lose synchronization due to overshooting or undershooting. For applications requiring high precision results the 5-phase motor is superior technology.
Do you offer Harmonic Gearboxes?
Yes. As part of our standard product offering for our precision stepper stage line we offer two standard harmonic gearbox solutions with gear reduction of 1/20 and 1/40 thus improving full step sizes of 1µm to 50nm and 25nm respectively. Precision stages with0.5 µm full step motion would improve full step to 25nm and 12.5nm respectively.
Does KOHZU offer 6-axis stacked stages?
Yes. We offer a few options for 6 degree of freedom alignment stages (X, Y, Z, Tip, Tilt, R) with a common point of rotation well suited for optical/camera alignments. Please look for and ask about KOHZU’s USM and MPS systems located in Specialty Products
What options do I have for stacking stages?
KOHZU stages are designed with common mounting patterns allowing stacks in virtually any configuration. X, XY, XYZ, XYR, XYZ-tip/tilt-rotation,… Work with our automation expert to configure your precision stages in the most optimal configuration for your automation needs.
What are Smart Alignment Stages?
KOHZU offers a series of positioning stages well suited for alignment applications that have integrated XY & Rotary (R) used in optical, semiconductor and metrology applications.
What are goniometers?
The term goniometer is typically used in the scientific or synchrotron community and are commonly defined as an instrument that either measures an angle or allows an object to be rotated to a precise angular position. In terms of precision stages, this can be achieved using a variety of rotational stages, i.e. rotary stage, swivel stage, tip stage, tip/tilt stage and goniometer stage.
Do you offer zed stages?
Yes. We offer a broad range of zed stages, also referred to as Z stages, vertical stages, Z lift stages and Z wedge stages. Each version of the zed (vertical) stage offers an advantage. We always recommend discussing your overall motion needs with our automation expert to determine the optimal precision stage for your positioning needs.
What is a Synchrotron?
A synchrotron is a powerful (cyclic) particle accelerator that enables the ability to focus and shape the beam for micron and nanoscale scientific applications such as protein crystallography, microfabrication, drug discovery, x-ray lithography, chemical analysis, structural analysis, medical imaging and more.