6D direct-drive technology for planar motion stages

Achieving 6D direct drive motion control over long planar strokes on a single mover can greatly improve machine performance. Existing solutions are either limited to small-stroke applications (a fraction of the stage size) or require a large number of coils with enormous control complexity. This paper presents a novel 6D direct drive technology for planar stages with many advantages: (1) stroke can be on the order of several meters; (2) the number of coils increases linearly with motion range; (3) no end effects or force coupling between axes; and (4) ease of control and superior force linearity.