XY Stages - Motorized 2-Axis Positioning Tables: Planar and Modular

High precision XY Stages (XY-linear tables) provide motion in 2 degrees of freedom (2-DOF). Applications for highly accurate 2-axis linear stages are found in fields such as optics, semiconductor manufacturing, surface metrology, laser processing, test and measurement, and high precision machining. PI provides a large selection of multi-axis positioning systems for 2-axis to 6-axis precision motion applications. In addition to stacked XY-tables (combinations of single axis linear translation stages), we also manufacture integrated manual and motorized XY tables and true planar motion XY stages based on air bearings or flexures. These integrated, high-accuracy, multi-axis linear motion systems are available in different precision classes and payload ratings, providing position resolution from a few microns down to nanometers and even the sub-nanometer range. An article on different motorized XY-table designs explains the individual advantages and preferred applications.

Highest Performance: 2-Axis Granite Based XY-Positioning Stages with Air Bearings
Planar Air Bearing XY tables are used when the highest precision is required in terms of straightness & flatness, smoothness of motion, and constancy of velocity. Planar
air bearing 2-axis stages use one common base for both the X and Y motion, eliminating torque and bending moments that occur with stacked XY-linear stages. Available with granite and aluminum bases, air bearing linear translation stages are driven by linear motors and can provide very high velocity to 1000’s of mm/sec and several G’s of acceleration, ideal prerequisites for high-throughput, high yield industrial precision manufacturing applications.

High Performance: XY Stages with Mechanical Bearings
Single module
, 2-axis XY stages provide a stiffer base and a lower profile than a stack of 2 linear translation stages in a cross-axis configuration. PI offers single module (3 plane) XY stages with both rotary stepper motors and servo motors and ball-screw drives, for higher load XY positioning applications. For high speed XY motion, 3-phase direct drive linear motors are recommended. Compact, low-profile XY stages for high velocity scanning applications with piezoelectric linear motors (non-magnetic motors) are also available.

Short Travel: 2-Axis XY Stages with Flexure Guides for Ultra-Precision Planar Motion
For small XY travel ranges <1mm and ultra-high accuracy with nanometer and sub-nanometer resolution, and high-speed scanning or high-dynamics step-and-settle requirements, piezo flexure XY stages are recommended.

Overview of 3-DOF Stages (XYZ-Stages)
For linear motion in 3 degrees of freedom, see our XYZ-stages overview page.

XY Stages with Mechanical Bearings and Linear Motor Drives

V-738 Integrated High Speed Precision XY Stage, 4" Travel
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V-738 Integrated High Speed Precision XY Stage, 4" Travel
Aperture, Linear Motor & Encoder
  • 4” XY travel (102mm)
  • 0.02µm min. inc. motion
  • 0.001µm sensor resolution
  • 500mm/sec max. velocity
  • 5kg load
  • Linear motor, linear encoder
V-731 Integrated High Speed Precision XY Stage, 8" Travel
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V-731 Integrated High Speed Precision XY Stage, 8" Travel
Linear Motor, Linear Encoder
  • 8” XY travel (205mm)
  • 0.02µm min. inc. motion
  • 0.001µm sensor resolution
  • 200mm/sec max. velocity
  • 5kg load
  • Linear motor, linear encoder
V-741 Integrated High Speed Precision XY Stage, 12" Travel
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V-741 Integrated High Speed Precision XY Stage, 12" Travel
Linear Motor, Linear Encoder
  • 12” XY travel (305mm)
  • 0.02µm min. inc. motion
  • 0.001µm sensor resolution
  • 200mm/sec max. velocity
  • 5kg load
  • Linear motor, linear encoder

These XY-Linear 2-axis Stages are based on non-contacting linear motor direct drives. Linear motors are frictionless, wear free, and provide high acceleration and excellent velocity control over wide dynamic ranges. PI recommends ACS motion controllers that provide advanced features such as InputShaping to improve settling behavior and suppress unwanted resonances. Linear encoders with resolution to 1 nanometer are available.

XY Stages with Mechanical Bearings and Screw Drives

L-738 Integrated High Load Precision XY Stage, 4" Travel
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L-738 Integrated High Load Precision XY Stage, 4" Travel, Aperture
Ballscrew, Stepper & Servo Motor
  • 4” XY travel (102mm)
  • 0.1µm min. inc. motion
  • 0.1 to 0.001µm sensor resolution
  • 90mm/sec max. velocity
  • 20kg load
  • Linear encoder option
L-731 Integrated High Load Precision XY Stage, 8" Travel
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L-731 Integrated High Load Precision XY Stage, 8" Travel
Ballscrew, Stepper & Servo Motor
  • 8” XY travel (205mm)
  • 0.1µm min. inc. motion
  • 0.1 to 0.001µm sensor resolution
  • 90mm/sec max. velocity
  • 20kg load
  • Linear encoder option
L-741 Integrated High Load Precision XY Stage, 12" Travel
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L-741 Integrated High Load Precision XY Stage, 12" Travel
Ballscrew, Stepper & Servo Motor
  • 12” XY travel (305mm)
  • 0.1µm min. inc. motion
  • 0.1 to 0.001µm sensor resolution
  • 90mm/sec max. velocity
  • 20kg load
  • Linear encoder option

For applications requiring higher loads and/or push-pull forces, ball screws are used in the L-731 / L-738 / L-741 XY-linear stage family. Several motor options are available, from open loop steppers to closed-loop servo motors with 10-nanometer resolution linear encoders.

M-971 Motorized XY-Stage for OEMs
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M-971 Motorized XY-Stage for OEMs
Low Cost Stage for Customizations
  • 2”x1” XY travel (50x25mm)
  • 0.2µm min. inc. motion
  • 2.5nm motor resolution
  • 10mm/sec max. velocity
  • 20kg load
  • Stepper motor driven
M-545 XY-Linear Stage for Microscopy
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M-545 XY-Linear Stage for Microscopy
Combines with PInano Piezo Stage
  • 25x25mm travel
  • 1µm min. inc. motion
  • 5kg load
  • Combines with P-545 XYZ piezo scanner for microscopy
  • Stepper motor upgrade
Video: Stacked XY Stages
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Stacked XY Stages

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Example V-508 in Fast Photonics Scanning and Alignment Application with ACS Motion Controller

The M-545 is a manual, 2-axis XY-stage for microscopy applications. It can be motorized by replacing the manual micrometers with motorized versions. The M-545 XY stage also combines with the P-545 XY and XYZ nanopositioning stages for scanning microscopy applications.

XY and XYZ Gantries and Granite Systems

Air Bearings & Linear Bearings, Linear Motors
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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
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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
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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)
X-417 Scalable Multi-Axis System
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X-417 Scalable Multi-Axis System
Flexible, Fast Delivery
  • 204x204 to 407x407mm XY travel
  • 20kg load
  • Absolute encoders, 1nm resolution
  • 102mm Z-Stage travel
  • Powerful EtherCat Controller
  • 2m/sec max velocity
MReck Gantry Video
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Gantry System for 3-D Printing, Laser Machining Software
As Seen at Photonics West

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

XY Stages with Mechanical Bearings and Fast Piezo Ultrasonic Linear Motors

U-723 Integrated Miniature XY Linear Stage
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U-723 Integrated Miniature XY Linear Stage
Ultrasonic Motor, Linear Scale
  • 22x22mm travel
  • 0.1µm min. inc. motion
  • 0.01 µm sensor resolution
  • 200mm/sec max. velocity
  • 0.2kg load
  • Very wide velocity range
U-751 Integrated XY Linear Stage
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U-751 Integrated XY Linear Stage
Ultrasonic Motor, Linear Scale
  • 25x25mm travel
  • 0.3µm min. inc. motion
  • 0.1 µm sensor resolution
  • 100mm/sec max. velocity
  • 5kg load
  • Very wide velocity range
  • Two versions: 25x25mm & 135x85mm travel
  • 0.3µm min. incremental motion
  • 0.01 & 0.1 µm sensor resolution
  • 100 & 120mm/sec max. velocity
  • 2.5kg load
  • Very wide dynamic range
  • With controller and joystick

Piezo linear-motor driven 2-axis stages combine the advantages of piezoceramic properties with long linear travel ranges. Ultrasonic linear motors provide rapid step/settle performance and a wide dynamic range. At rest, the self-clamping properties automatically lock the platform, providing high stability without the need for driving current.

XY Stages with Air Bearings and Linear Motors: True Planar XY Motion

The PIglide IS planar XY air-bearing stage is a low profile, high precision alternative to stacked XY stages. The fully preloaded air bearing puck floats in both X and Y directions on a common base, providing smooth, frictionless motion. Ideal for inspection, laser marking, microscopy, scanning, and other precision motion applications. The efficient, compact design saves space in tight machine designs. Ironless linear motors provide smooth motion with no cogging or attractive forces. Optical linear encoders provide position feedback information down to 1nm, depending on interpolation.   The PIglide IS can be coupled with a variety of industry-leading digital controls and drives that offer advanced algorithms to improve dynamic performance and error compensation and a wide suite of software development tools.
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A-311 Planar Air Bearing Stage
Compact, Affordable, Al Base
  • 50x50mm to 300x400mm travel
  • 15kg load
  • 1nm resolution
  • Light weight, AL base
  • Dynamic error mapping
  • 2m/sec / 2.7g max. acceleration
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.
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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

Air bearing XY-linear stages provide the highest geometric performance for 2-DOF (2-axis) linear motion. These true planar XY positioning systems use one common base for both the X and Y axes avoiding flex and torsion common with stacked X-Y stages.

3-DOF Stages / XY-Theta Stages

PI offers standard and custom XY-Theta 3-DOF stages with mechanical bearings and air bearings. The picture above shows from left to right:  XY-Theta stage based on the low-profile V-508 linear stage and V-610 direct-drive Theta-Z stage, XY-Theta air bearing stage based on the A-311 a low-profile air bearing planar XY stage and the air bearing A-623 Theta-Z stage and for higher load and longer travel range applications the V-817 linear translation stage with a V-623 mechanical rotary stage. More information on XY-Theta 3-DOF stages and R-Theta stages is available in our tech blog section.

Miniature XY Stages

These 2-axis stacked miniature XY stage combinations can be assembled from the single axis stages shown on the miniature stage page.

XY Piezo Flexure Nanopositioning Stages

Piezo flexure stages provide sub-nanometer resolution, frictionless motion and very fast step and settle response. They are used in microscopy, imaging, semiconductor metrology and precision optics applications. PI provides a very large selection of flexure stages, from one to 6 axes.
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XY Piezo Stages: P-542, P-527, P-545
For Scanning and Nanopositioning
  • 200x200µm travel
  • <1nm resolution
  • 5kg load
  • For photonics, super-resolution microscopy and lithography

2-axis flexure-guided, piezo-driven XY linear stages are used in nanopositioning and scanning applications with short travel ranges on the order of 100’s of microns. They provide excellent accuracy, dynamic properties, and geometric performance (straightness, flatness, etc) with resolution down to the sub-nanometer range.

Multi-Axis Assemblies and 6-Axis Stages (Hexapods)

What is an XY Stage?

An XY stage, often referred to as an XY linear stage or XY table, is a mechanical device that provides precise, controlled movement in two dimensions, usually in both horizontal axes (X and Y). Precision motorized XY stages are designed for automation and to allow an object to be moved with high accuracy and repeatability within a plane.

XY Stage Buyers Guide

An XY stage, often found in microscopes, inspection equipment, semiconductor wafer test and manufacturing equipment, 3D printers, and other precision machinery, allows for precise two-dimensional movement. If you're looking to purchase an XY stage, there are several factors to consider. Here's a brief buyers guide:

1. Purpose and Application

  • Microscopy: If you're working in microscopy, especially at high magnifications, a stable, precise microscope stage is critical.
  • 3D Printing: Precision is key, but speed and load-bearing capacity are also important. Gantry XY-stages are also used in 3D printing.
  • Laser Processing: Focus on precision, speed, and protection from debris.
  • Laboratory & Research: Prioritize precision, repeatability, and potential for integration with other devices.

2. Travel Range: This is the total distance the stage can move in both X and Y directions. Make sure it meets your requirements.

3. Resolution: This refers to the smallest increment the stage can move. For high precision tasks, a higher resolution unit is needed.

4. Load Capacity: Make sure the stage can handle the weight of your sample or device. Higher load capacity stages usually provide longer life time.

5. Drive Mechanism

  • Ball Screw or Lead Screw: Usually slower but provides higher forces and self locking capability
  • Direct Drive: 3 phase linear motors provide higher acceleration, linearity, and velocity. They are also backlash-free and maintenance free with virtually unlimited lifetime. However they don’t hold a position without power. On the other hand, they can be moved around manually when power is off.

6. Feedback Mechanism

  • Incremental Encoders: Linear encoders ensure the most precise positioning.
  • Limit Switches and Home Switches: Protect against over-travel and help referencing.
  • Absolute Encoders: Render referencing unnecessary, provide the best performance.

7. Bearings: Crossed-roller bearings provide higher load capacity and better straightness / flatness. Air bearings provide the highest precision and are completely wear-free and maintenance free.

8. True Planar Motion: Can be achieved with air bearings (long travel) and flexure stages (short travel).

9. Material & Build Quality: Stainless steel or aluminum are common and durable.

10. Compatibility: Ensure the stage fits with your existing equipment, especially if it's for a microscope or other specialized device.

11. Speed: How quickly can it move from one point to another? This is particularly relevant for applications like 3D printing or CNC machining. Here, direct drive motors are the best option.

12. Motion Controller and InterfaceHigh performance motion controllers and algorithms, such as PI’s ACS-based systems with EtherCat interface, provide the highest precision and throughput. Whether it's with joystick controls, a computer interface, or a dedicated controller, the user interface should be intuitive and meet your needs.

13. Environmental Conditions: If you're working in a specific environment (e.g., vacuum, high-temperature), ensure the stage is suitable for those conditions. Air bearing stages are particularly well suited for clean room applications due to the lack of friction and lubricants.

14. Budget: As with any purchase, budget constraints play a role. However, don't sacrifice quality for a cheaper price, especially if precision is crucial.

15. Manufacturer Reputation and Support: Choose a well-known manufacturer with a proven track record and experienced application engineers to guide you in the purchasing process and provide pre-purchase and post-purchase support. Ask for test data that represent your application.

16. Warranty A good basic warranty and extended warranty can save you from potential future expenses.

17. Scalability & Upgradability: If you anticipate your needs might change, look for a models and controllers that can be upgraded or expanded upon.

18. Customization: PI offers custom engineered solutions if off-the-shelf products don't meet your needs.

Always prioritize reliability and precision, as an inaccurate or unstable stage can compromise your results.

Related Products and Additional Resources