Air bearing linear guide

70 mmcustom-madeprecision

Product overview
The ultra-precision alumina ceramic Z-axis guide is a key motion component for coordinate measuring machines (CMM) and precision air-bearing platforms. Precision ground and polished, it can serve as a Z-axis quill, air-bearing guide beam, or probe support. Innovacera's ceramic Z-axis uses a long hollow structure with square, rectangular, or circular bores to suit equipment designs. Its precision-machined outer surfaces integrate with preloaded air bearings, probe mounts, linear scales, drive mechanisms, and pneumatic counterbalance systems. A thin air film between the guide surface and the air bearing enables non-contact, low-friction motion, reducing wear while improving smoothness and repeatability at high speed.

Product features

• Micron-level geometric accuracy
• Designed for air-bearing guide systems
• High-stiffness hollow structure (square, rectangular, or circular bores)
• Excellent dimensional stability and low thermal expansion compared to metals
• Multiple hollow cross sections available
• Custom mounting holes and interfaces possible

Specifications
Model | Dimensions W × H × L | Flatness | Parallelism | Perpendicularity
INV0646490-S | 64 × 64 × 900 mm | 3 μm | 3 μm | 2 μm
INV0686899-S | 68 × 68 × 999 mm | 3 μm | 3 μm | 2 μm
INV0707010-S | 70 × 70 × 1000 mm | 3 μm | 3 μm | 2 μm
INV0707012-S | 70 × 70 × 1200 mm | 3 μm | 3 μm | 2 μm
INV0707014-S | 70 × 70 × 1400 mm | 3 μm | 3 μm | 2 μm
INV0808010-S | 80 × 80 × 1000 mm | 3 μm | 3 μm | 2 μm
INV0808012-S | 80 × 80 × 1200 mm | 3 μm | 3 μm | 2 μm
INV0808014-S | 80 × 80 × 1400 mm | 3 μm | 3 μm | 2 μm

Applications

• Coordinate Measuring Machines: Suitable for bridge, gantry, and high-precision scanning CMM as a ceramic Z-axis quill or precision air-bearing guide beam.
• Precision air-bearing motion platforms: Suitable for air-bearing platforms requiring low friction, high positioning repeatability, and stable linear motion.
• Semiconductor inspection equipment: Suitable as a motion structural component in wafer inspection, package inspection, precision alignment, and high-accuracy vision measurement platforms due to dimensional stability and low thermal expansion.
• Optical and laser measurement equipment: Suitable for optical measurement platforms, laser interferometers, contour/roundness measuring instruments, and precision scanning equipment.
• Ultra-precision machine tools: Usable as a ceramic guide in ultra-precision machining equipment, precision positioning platforms, and non-contact motion systems.
• Precision machining and quality control: Manufacturing long hollow ceramic Z-axis components requires control of material properties, sintering deformation, coordinated multi-surface machining, and micron-level inspection over long distances.

Technical specifications

• Material: Alumina (Al2O3) primary; other technical ceramics available for different applications
• Available hollow cross sections: square, rectangular, circular bores to match equipment design
• Surface finish: precision ground and polished outer surfaces for air-bearing integration
• Geometric accuracy: typical flatness ≤ 3 μm, parallelism ≤ 3 μm, perpendicularity ≤ 2 μm
• Lengths available up to 1400 mm in standard listed models
• High stiffness-to-weight ratio; hollow structure reduces inertia for high-speed scanning
• Low thermal expansion and excellent dimensional stability compared with metals and granite
• Designed to interface with preloaded air bearings, probe mounts, linear scales, drive mechanisms, and pneumatic counterbalance systems
• Enables non-contact, low-friction motion via thin air film when paired with air bearings, improving repeatability and reducing wear
• Customizable mounting holes, interfaces, and inspection/measurement datums for application-specific integration