Tell us a bit about your customization needs and a Terra application specialist will contact you within 24 business hours.
Terra's hours are: Monday - Friday, 9:00am-6:00pm PST
Or call for assistance from a Terra Product Specialist: (714) 578-6100
Can't find what you're looking for?Tell us what you need and we'll build it!
Manufacturers who routinely engage in high-magnification operations know there's more than one cause of motion sickness. Shaky work surfaces not only compromise precision and accuracy—they also literally make you sick!
As geometries get smaller and assembly and test procedures become more dependent on high magnifications, it becomes more important than ever before to ensure the optimal work surface for every application. That can mean not only effective vibration isolation, but also Class 1 cleanliness, static-dissipation, automated conveyance systems, and a host of other critical operating conditions. Failure to meet any one of these requirements can lead to microscopic errors—and big problems.
Terra Universal's Vibration-Free Work Station provides the optimal solution to these problems. It incorporates an advanced vibration-control design to provide the ideal work station for high-precision microelectronic manufacturing and testing operations—such as substrate aligning and measuring, surface profiling, probing, and wire bonding. Because the work station isolates 90% of typical building vibration, it eliminates worker fatigue, headaches, and nausea that result from microscopic operations on a shaky surface.
Each work station consists of five basic components: the frame, benchtop, undertop, shock bumper, and the pneumatic vibration-absorbing mounts and regulation system.
These built-in mounts are designed for applications that require exceptionally high vibration isolation, with a natural frequency down to 2-4 Hz. The vibration absorbing system offers high deflection and a horizontal-to-vertical stillness ratio of one-to-one. This ensures excellent stability without lateral restraints; the system isolates up to 90% of most building vibrations.
By varying the air input supplied to the pneumatic mounts while a load is applied, the floating work surface can be adjusted in height for leveling within ± .25" (6 mm). Since pneumatic mounts operate at zero deflection under load, this work station requires 30% to 60% less free height than conventional benchtops. For most applications, the air pressure in the center body provides a significant portion of the isolation capabilities of the mounts.
In-house air, bottled air, or nitrogen can be used for pressurization of the mounts. The station includes a safety master regulator and an individual pressure regulator and gauge for each vibration isolator to allow easy inflation and balancing of the benchtop. This inflation system also allows you to operate the table while it is continuously connected to the gas supply; this in-line operation is recommended to ensure a steady, balanced work surface.
Each isolator is rated for a 25-100 pound (11.3 kg - 45.4 kg) load, so you can safely operate a standard station with up to 350 pounds (159 mm) of net load (with weight plates removed). For very light loads, under 25 pounds (11.3 kg.), it is recommended that the table be operated with one or more plate weights. Varying weights produce varying vibration-isolation results, depending on the frequency of vibrations in your facility; for best results, experiment with varying plate weight configurations. Weights are included with each station.
A thick-gauge steel plate provides optimum reinforcement and prevents sagging under heavy loads. This undertop is encased in the recessed underside of the benchtop and fastened to it, forming a two-piece floating work station. It is securely set on four to six vibration-free mounts, isolating the work surface from any possible shocks or vibrations. The undertop also comes with fasteners that allow one or two 40-lb. (18 kg.) weight plates to be added to the bench.
The frame is fabricated of all-welded 2" (51 mm) square 304 stainless steel tubing with 12-gauge thickness. The sturdy welded construction eliminates the need for leg bracing below the top frame, and the heavy-wall tubing allows the bench top to support much heavier loads than conventional benches without sagging.
The legs are fabricated of heavy-gauge 2" (51 mm) and 1.75" (44 mm) square tubing. Telescopoing design allows height adjustment. Benches include plastic, nonmarking glides and are available with the ErgoHeight™ option for motorized height adjustment.
The stainless steel benchtop combines chemical resistance and complete static conductivity. Each of these stations can accommodate virtually any load without sagging, and their ergonomic, low-profile design affords all of the comfort and convenience of standard benches.
A thick-gauge steel plate provides optimum reinforcement and prevents sagging under heavy loads. This undertop is encased in the recessed underside of the benchtop and fastened to it, forming a two-piece floating work station. It is securely set on four to six vibration-free mounts, isolating the work surface from any possible shocks or vibrations. The undertop also comes with fasteners that allow one or two 40-lb. (18 kg.) weight plates to be added to the bench.
Manufacturers who routinely engage in high-magnification operations know there's more than one cause of motion sickness. Shaky work surfaces not only compromise precision and accuracy—they also literally make you sick!
If high-magnification equipment enlarges the sight of microscopic content, then it also enlarges the sight of any movement within the scope of the viewing lens. Operating a microscope isn’t a motionless process—natural bumps from foot traffic, air control systems, or moving materials across a surface cause slides to shake and create a distracting obstacle for precise observations. Vibrations can slow or even compromise detail-oriented operations.
A vibration-free platform can reduce the effects of environmental disturbance and provide a steady surface. The vibration-free platform serves as a buffer between the magnification equipment and the surface it rests upon. It isolates the equipment by dampening vibrations to mitigate nausea and motion sickness for the operator, to keep employees healthy and productive, to moderate fatigue and to increase efficiency of the task at hand.
Vibration-free platforms also protect equipment. Unexpected motion can misalign delicate instruments. If left on a non-isolated surface, sensitive analytical equipment could consistently recalibrate to compensate for the motion, preventing accurate data collection. For optimal control and the smoothest magnified observations, ensure stability with a vibration-free platform.
Terra's portable, economical Vibration-Free Platform cures the shakes by providing benchtop vibration isolation in both the vertical and horizontal directions.
Four pneumatic all-axis isolators act as highly stable air springs that isolate up to 90% of typical building vibrations (see efficiency curves, at right). With the help of built-in pressure regulators, this platform maintains a fixed, controlled pressure with maximum loads up to 213 lbs. (97 kg.)
Removable incremental plate weights attached beneath the platform surface allow you to adjust the net load to provide optimal dampening for the process equipment with which you are working. This versatility, and the low-profile design, makes this platform ideal for applications that involve a wide range of close-tolerance equipment.
Its compact, portable size offers additional benefits. It lets you bring a steady surface to close-tolerance operations wherever they crop up, eliminating the need either to relocate heavy vibration-free tables or simply to forego a dampened surface (and risk the consequences!).
Further, because vibration-free tables can accommodate only one work station, large-scale productions often require the purchase of several such units. This low-cost platform offers an alternative to this expensive arrangement. You can place several of these units on a single bench, thereby establishing multiple vibration-free work stations while using very little space.
For optimal particle control, select a platform with an UltraClean™ finish stainless steel construction. The Vibration-Free Platform is easy to operate and requires little or no attention after the initial set-up. No special tools or mounting hardware is necessary. The platform comes completely assembled and ready for operation.