Active vibration isolators

Outstanding vibration isolation and fast settling times for high-precision systems

If you use high-precision systems for measurements, production or laboratory, then you know about the necessity of vibration isolation. Vibrational excitation from the environment can be found everywhere. Even without consciously noticing them, they still have a negative impact on the accuracy, precision and productivity of your equipment and devices. Many systems such as microscopes even have specific requirements regarding the maximum permissible vibration load. These are described by the so-called Vibration Criteria curves (VC curves). If the place of installation does not meet these requirements, proper operation cannot be guaranteed. On the other hand, many production machines and test devices, for example in the semiconductor industry, have moving XY tables. In order to be able to drive high cycle rates, these tables must be operated with high acceleration. However, this strongly excites the system to vibrations. Seismion Reactio isolators have a high level of active stabilization, which significantly reduces settling time and thus allows higher cycle rates to be used.

Advantages of Seismion active vibration isolators compared to air spring isolators

The following diagrams show the isolation performance and transient response of active Reactio isolators compared to conventional air spring systems. The isolation is clearly superior to air springs, especially in the low-frequency range up to 10 Hz. Remaining vibrations on the isolated port are reduced by a factor of 7, sometimes even by a factor of 37 more than air spring isolators can achieve!

The transient response or settling time is also significantly improved. While air spring systems vibrate for several seconds, the Reactio Isolator brings the system to rest within fractions of a second.

Typical applications

Vibration isolators are required in various fields and applications, such as

  • Semiconductor production and quality control
  • Metrology
  • Continuous scales and analytical balances
  • Micro mechanics and micro optics
  • Microscopy (SEM, SPM, AFM, …)
  • In-vitro fertilisation and other medical technologies
  • Laser applications
  • Micro-hardness testing
  • and many more

Operation of Seismion vibration isolators

Seismion vibration isolators Reactio and Reactio Pro work in all 6 degrees of freedom. Using our self-developed sensors, electronics and actuators, the application is effectively isolated from impact noise, building vibrations and other machines in the vicinity. In addition, direct disturbances, for example through user interaction or rotating lenses and moving XY-tables, are very effectively stabilized. Your application is immediately ready for use again thanks to the extremely fast settling into the rest position. In addition to the precision, also the productivity and throughput are increased. Thanks to the extremely noise-free electronics and highly sensitive sensors, the vibration isolators Reactio and Reactio Pro are able to comply with even the most demanding vibration criteria curves VC-F and higher.

Seismion vibration isolators are extremely robust and can also effectively compensate stronger excitations and disturbances without stopping its operation. In addition, Seismion isolators do not place any special requirements on the installation site or its stability properties. This simplifies the day-to-day use with Seismion isolators, as you can use them without special care.

Outstanding isolation and stabilization performance already at low frequencies

Seismion vibration isolators start isolating at frequencies below 1 Hz. This makes them suit perfectly for the critical range from 1 to 10 Hz, which is often excited by building vibrations and foot fall sound. Above 10 Hz, the vibration amplitude is reduced by 35 dB (Reactio) or even 40 dB (Reactio Pro), this corresponds to about 1% remaining vibrations. This opens up completely new possibilities for setting up your measuring and testing devices, be it in a multi-storey high-rise building or in the immediate vicinity of production facilities!

Thanks to their active stabilizer function, systems with moving XY-tables or rotating parts are quickly settled to their rest position. Examples of such applications are roughness measurements, wafer inspections and microscopy with interchangeable lenses. By using Seismion isolators, productivity can be increased through faster cycle times.

Reactio: Flat vibration isolator for table-top applications

Seismion Reactio is a flat isolator for table-top applications and comes in various sizes from 500 × 400 to 1200 × 900 mm. Due to the high robustness of the Seismion isolators, there are no special requirements for the installation site. It can simply be placed on ordinary tables, if necessary.

Reactio Pro: Flexible modular system for large instruments and workstation version with high-precision leveling function and superior isolation performance

The Reactio Pro consists of two separate bar-type isolators. They can be combined in a flexible way to meet exactly your needs. Various geometries can be realized. Typically, they are connected by placing them below the sides of an optical breadboard or used as isolation feet directly under large applications

They can also conveniently be combined with a metal frame and a breadboard to form a fully active isolated workstation.

The Reacio Pro is suitable for heavy payloads up to 500 kg in total.

Thanks to their high quality components, the Reactio Pro offer the best isolation performance of all Seismion isolators. Isolation starts already in the sub-Hertz frequency range and reaches -10 dB at 1 Hz. Above 10 Hz, more than 40 dB reduction is realized.

For applications that have to be precisely aligned, the Reactio Pro features an automatic leveling system. These systems measure the deviation of the top plate with high precision in all corners. Deviations from the middle position, for example due to a change in the center of gravity by moving an XY table or by additional objects on the isolator, are automatically corrected with an accuracy of 15 µm. With such a high level of precision, the Seismion Reactio Pro is one of the leading systems worldwide.

Specifications

  • High isolation effect from 1 Hz and -40 dB (Reactio Pro) or -35 dB (Reactio) at 10 Hz
  • Extremely precise leveling with an accuracy of 15 µm (Reactio Pro)
  • Soft-mount isolation with active control forces up to 32 Newton (vertical) and 16 Newton (horizontal)
  • Active regulation in all 6 degrees of freedom
  • No compressed air required
  • Simple and intuitive operation
  • Payload capacity: 80 kg and 160 kg (high payload version)
  • Plain, high quality design and finish