Vertical Manual Stages
Did You Know?
Vertical manual stages (in some cases referred to as z-jacks) are manual linear translation stages that provide vertical travel along the z-axis. Z-jacks are a unique sub-set of vertical manual stages where the travel along the vertical axis is made possible using z-type brackets that change the folding angles of the “Z” as the stage moves in the vertical direction. Other vertical stages use different rail guides including crossed-roller bearings, dovetail bearings, etc. The primary purpose of vertical stages is to provide a precise vertical alignment. Most vertical stages have a baseplate on top of which a sample or further opto-mechanical elements can be mounted. Those plates are often come predrilled with metric or imperial size holes for easy mounting of additional elements. Vertical manual stages are used in numerous applications, including optical alignment, spectroscopic measurements, interferometry, metrology, rapid prototyping of optical instruments, astronomy, bio-medical experiments and more. The key parameters to look for when choosing the right vertical manual translation stage for your application are the travel range, load capacity, table (baseplate) size and sensitivity. Additionally, you might want to look into the specified parallelism which measures the degree of flatness of the surface as the stage travels in the vertical direction.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Vertical manual stages and their subset of Z-jacks are used to precisely align an object vertically. The application range of these stages covers spectroscopic measurements, optical alignment, astronomy, bio-medical experiments and instrumentation, laser alignment and more.
The key parameters to consider when selecting a vertical stage are the vertical travel range; maximum height reached; load capacity; baseplate (table) dimensions, and parallelism (the degree of preserved flatness as the translation stage travels.
In short, always operate the stage within the specified by the manufacturer parameter ranges. Never exceed the specified load capacity (as it would cause unnecessary wear and tear). Don’t operate the stage in extreme cold weather unless it is designed for such conditions. The guide rails often use grease that will get damaged outside of normal operating temperature range (hot or cold).
Both vertical manual stages and lab jacks are used to vertically align a sample or an object. Lab jacks, also sometimes called z-jacks utilize a z-type folding brackets (scissors) to adjust the vertical height. In contrast, vertical manual stages often utilize ball bearings or guide rails that are more precise and offer better parallelism and adjustment sensitivity
While lab jacks are in general less precise than vertical manual stages, some lab jack models include double scissor design where the elevating z-bracket mechanism forms double scissors that offer a lot higher stability and better parallelism than a single scissor. This type of design is often seen on lab jacks with larger table size.
No. Vertical Stages sold on FindLight are sold directly by the suppliers and you can directly interact with the respective supplier of each product. Simply contact the respective supplier from the product page of interest for pricing and ordering information.