Gantry Stages / Gantry Systems / XY-Z Cartesian Robots

High Speed, High Precision Granite Motion Systems

What is a Gantry Stage / Cartesian Robot?

A precision gantry stage or gantry system is sometimes called a linear robot or Cartesian robot. Gantry robots typically provide overhead motion in 2 or 3 linear degrees of freedom (X-Y and X-Y-Z) and are often used for pick and place applications, 3D printing or laser machining, precision handling, and electronics applications. These precision automation systems only share the name and general layout with the high load gantry cranes often used in ports for loading and unloading of cargo.

The advantage of an overhead XY gantry or XYZ gantry system, in contrast to a split bridge granite motion system or traditional XYZ linear slides or XY slide assemblies, is its ability to keep the work piece stationary and move sensors, laser heads or dispensers above the work piece. Gantry linear robots also cover a relatively large work area on a relatively small footprint. Gantry granite motion systems often include a manipulator / gripper mounted on a vertical axis.

PI designs standard and custom motion systems, such as motorized direct drive, high speed, high precision XY gantries or XYZ gantry stages and split bridge granite motion systems, adapted for different high-performance applications. They are available with mechanical linear bearings, hybrid bearings or as full air bearing designs. All our granite motion systems are equipped with fast 3 phase linear motors and absolute measuring linear encoders. Standard configurations of PI high performance gantry stages are available with up to 2 meters (78”) of travel and customizations are available. All our precision granite systems are providing sub-µm to nanometer resolution and excellent repeatability, together with fast acceleration for high throughput. Several options are available including mounting holes for scanners, cameras, lasers, customer specified tooling as well as the integration of a Z axis (both screw-drive and direct drive options).

Air bearing gantries provide frictionless, wear- and maintenance-free linear motion without particle generation – important for photonics, optics, flat-panel inspection, and semiconductor applications.

XY & XYZ Overhead Gantries

Air Bearings & Linear Bearings, Linear Motors
Show more
A-341 Hybrid XY / XYZ Gantry Stage
Air Bearings & Linear Bearings, Linear Motors
  • 300x300 to 500x1000mm XY travel
  • 10kg load
  • Absolute encoders, 1nm resolution

  • Z-Stage options: linear motors or ball screws 
  • Dynamic error mapping
  • 2m/sec max velocity (cross axis)
A-351 Overhead Gantry XY / XYZ Stage
Show more
A-351 Overhead XY / XYZ Gantry Stage
Linear Bearings, Linear Motors
  • 300x300 to 500x1000mm XY travel
  • 20kg load
  • Absolute encoders, 1nm resolution

  • Z-Stage options: linear motors or ball screws 
  • Dynamic error mapping
  • 2m/sec max velocity (cross axis)
A-352 Large XY / XYZ Gantry Stage with Linear Bearings, Linear Motors
Show more
A-352 Large XY / XYZ Gantry Stage
Linear Bearings, Linear Motors
  • 750x750 to 1000x2000mm XY travel
  • 30kg load
  • Absolute encoders, 1nm resolution
  • Z-Stage options: linear motors or ball screws
  • Dynamic error mapping
  • 2m/sec max velocity (cross axis)

Video: Gantry System for 3-D Printing, Laser Machining with Software

As Seen at Photonics West

PI's A-341 hybrid Gantry System for 3-D printing, laser processing with software is explained at Photonics West

Download Catalogs

Gantry-Type, Planar XY Air Bearing Stages

The PIglide HS planar air-bearing stage has been designed to maximize throughput while providing the ultimate level of precision. This stage is ideal for wafer inspection and scribing applications, as well as other ultra-precision motion applications such as flat panel inspection. The cross-beam mounts to the Y axis via a highly engineered flexural coupling that provides yaw-compliance without sacrificing system stiffness. The gantry axis is a dual air-bearing design that incorporates dual linear motors and dual linear encoders. Ironless linear motors provide smooth motion and no cogging or attractive forces. Both incremental and absolute encoder options are available. The PIglide HS incorporates three high-accuracy linear encoders, one for the bridge axis and two for the gantry axis. The PIglide HS is coupled with industry-leading digital controls that offer superior servo update rates (up to 5 kHz), advanced control algorithms to improve dynamic performance and error compensation, and a wide suite of software development tools.
Show more
A-322 Planar Air Bearing Stage
3&4-Motor Designs, Granite Base
  • 3 Models: Base, Plus, Ultra
  • 500x1000mm max. travel
  • 15kg load
  • 1nm resolution
  • Active yaw control flex coupling
  • Dynamic error mapping
  • 1m/sec / 2g max. acceleration
Video: How Do Air Bearings Work?
Show more
Video: How Do Air Bearings Work?

Watch Video

PI's Gantry-Type Air Bearing Stages, together with ACS motion controllers provide exceptional accuracy & geometric performance.

Multi-Axis Concept Examples: Split Bridge Assemblies

XYZ Motion System using V-508 linear stages in granite bridge counterbalance
Air Bearings mounted on granite bridge for XYZ motion
4-axis system with air bearings for beamline
Complete XYZ air bearing motion system with pneumatic counterbalances

Controllers for Gantry Stages

These high performance controllers feature state of the art ACS SPiiPlusEC motion control modules and EtherCAT® master, and includes ServoBoost™ for up to eight axes of motion. ServoBoost™ provides better, more consistent servo performance that is insensitive to noise or (load) changes in the system.

This series of motion controllers from PI offers a completely integrated electronics solution, with controller, drives, and power supplies packaged together. The A-81x is in a compact 19-inch rack-mount enclosure for 1, 2, or 4 axes of motion, while the slightly larger A-82x is capable of controlling 4, 6, or 8 axes. These controllers are designed and optimized to work with the PIglide line of air bearing stages which feature direct drive linear and rotary servo motors and high resolution encoders.
Show more
A-824/6/8 PIglide Motion Controller
High Power: 4, 6 & 8 Motion Axes
  • Fully integrated closed-loop servo, amplifier module & power supplies
  • 2000 W continuous, 3900 W peak
  • 3-Phase BLDC / voice coil / DC
  • Quiet PWM drives
  • Sine/cosine and BiSS-C encoders
  • 20A peak output current/axis
This series of motion controllers from PI offers a completely integrated electronics solution, with controller, drives, and power supplies packaged together. The A-81x is in a compact 19-inch rack-mount enclosure for 1, 2, or 4 axes of motion, while the slightly larger A-82x is capable of controlling 4, 6, or 8 axes. These controllers are designed and optimized to work with the PIglide line of air bearing stages which feature direct drive linear and rotary servo motors and high resolution encoders.
Show more
A-811/2/4 PIglide Motion Controller
Compact: 1, 2 & 4 Motion Axes
  • Fully integrated closed-loop servo, amplifier module & power supplies
  • 600W power supply
  • 3-phase BLDC / voice coil / DC
  • Quiet PWM drives
  • Sine/cosine and BiSS-C encoders
  • 10A Peak output current/axis

Related Products and Additional Resources