Motion system is a component of test and measurement system that provides motion to a load or loads in a one or many directions. Generally a motion system is made up of a set (or stack) of linear and rotational stages. A linear stage moves in a straight line, while a rotation stage moves in a partial or full circle. A stage can either be manually controlled with a knob control, or automated with a motion controller.
A motion system generally is computer controlled and can perform fast, reliable, repeatable, and accurate positioning of loads. Most systems will support motion in X and Y directions, which is referred to as an XY stack. Often either a Z axis (up/down motion) or R axis (rotational motion) is placed on top of the XY stack.
For automated stages, a scale can be attached to the internals of the stage and an encoder used to measure the position on the scale and report this to the controller, thereby determining the precise position of the stage. This allows for a motion controller to reliably and repeatably move to set positions with the linear stage.
Famous quotes containing the words motion and/or system:
“Speech belongs half to the speaker, half to the listener. The latter must prepare to receive it according to the motion it takes.”
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592)
“I need not say what match I would touch, what system endeavor to blow up; but as I love my life, I would side with the light, and let the dark earth roll from under me, calling my mother and my brother to follow.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)