Frequently Asked Questions

A dovetail linear stage, or a dovetail, is the simplest of all linear stages and is mainly used for manual positioning. Dovetails consist of two surfaces moving against each other. There are pros and cons about using dovetails. These stages provide a long travel, relatively high stiffness and load capacity. Additionally, they are more resistant to shock than most other bearings and are insensitive to contamination. On the other hand, they have relatively high stiction, and the friction varies with translation speed. This makes precise control difficult and limits sensitivity thus limiting the potential use cases.

As with all other linear stages, dovetails come in different geometries and architectures. The most commonly used types are the industrial dovetail linear stages and the fast-drive stages. In some applications, you may find peg-joining dovetails or (ultra) compact stages.

When choosing a linear stage, consider the following key specifications before making your decision: resolution, repositioning accuracy, backlash, speed, stiffness, load capacity, and cost.

The travel range options for the DSM series dovetail linear stages range from 13 mm to 100 mm, depending on the model.

The dovetail linear stages offer various table size options including 40x40, 60x60, and 65x65.

The horizontal load capacity of the dovetail linear stages ranges from 5 kg to 10 kg, depending on the model.

The dovetail linear stages are suitable for applications such as laser optics, optical alignment, spectroscopy, microscopy, and motion control for a broad range of applications.

The DSM series dovetail linear stages offer simplicity, ease of use, insensitivity to contamination, and low cost. They are also compact and suitable for high-precision motion control applications.

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