Dover Motion’s DOF-5 Objective Focusing Stage Continues to Be Recognized for Breakthrough Innovation
Dramatically new design approach delivers newfound performance and price advantages over traditional piezoelectric actuators, setting the bar for next-gen nanopositioning in optical imaging.
BOXBOROUGH, MA (February 11, 2019) – Dover Motion, a designer and manufacturer of motion solutions for life sciences and diagnostics instruments, today announced the company’s new low-cost, high-performance 5 mm travel nanopositioning stage with built-in controller – the DOF-5 Dover Objective Focusing stage – was named a finalist in the 2019 PRISM Awards in the category of Optics & Optomechanics, as the product continues to gain recognition for its innovation by customers and influencers alike.
Presented by SPIE & Photonics Media, the prestigious award – often referred to as the “Oscars of Photonics” – recognizes particularly outstanding examples of the imaginative range and innovation reach of photonics R&D. Dover Motion representatives were recognized alongside other award finalists Wednesday, Feb. 6, as part of the SPIE Photonics West conference in San Francisco.
Optimized for optical imaging applications, the DOF-5 stage is engineered to overcome performance drawbacks of traditional piezo actuators via breakthrough innovation in optomechanical positioning, providing reduced vibration and improved image stability. What’s more, the DOF-5 stage delivers this disruptive innovation and improved performance at a price point that is 50 to 60 percent less than competing offerings.
“While we’re honored to gain industry award recognition for innovation, we’re just as honored when our customers can attest to this innovation and its business application,” said Ankush Kaul, vice president and general manager of Dover Motion. “One senior director of engineering of integrated systems at a next-gen sequencing company told us: ‘This new stage has the performance needed for diffraction limited imaging and high-speed applications at a fraction of the cost of the piezo stages normally used in these applications.’
“Another customer said: ‘The DOF-5 provides a great solution for single high NA microscope objective actuation. It provides all the benefits of piezo in terms of speed and resolution with none of the limitations such as short travel range and ringing at a lower cost.’
“While another customer remarked: ‘The DOF-5 has similar performance to my piezo stages at half the price. It is too good to be true, what’s the catch?’
“To this last customer, we assured him there is no ‘catch’. The genesis of the DOF-5 stage was our customers – in listening and understanding the struggles they experienced with traditional piezoelectric actuators. Most notably, they told us piezo nanopositioning technology is expensive. The DOF-5 Dover Objective Focusing stage represents the change that’s needed for automated microscopy – improving both cost and performance while reducing instrumentation complexity.”
Key Features and Benefits
The DOF-5 Dover Objective Focusing stage features a dramatically new and unique design with a fully enclosed, embedded encoder and motion controller. This highly integrated assembly makes the DOF-5 smaller with fewer cabling requirements. The stage can be seamlessly connected to autofocus systems.
Patent-pending technology allows the DOF-5 stage to overcome travel limitations inherent in traditional piezoelectric actuators, expanding the range from 400 microns to >5 mm, with an increased range of motion for more precise systems alignment.
The stage’s stiffer bearing yields improved image stability over traditional flexure bearing solutions, resulting in less vibration and “fast step and settle” for ease and speed of focusing. Finally, the DOF-5 stage’s configurable objective mount with adapter thread options make it easily integrated in a wide range of industry applications.
To learn more about how the DOF-5 compares to traditional piezo flexure stages, watch the short (1 minute) video below or visit our DOF-5 resource page.
About Dover Motion, A division of Invetech
Dover Motion is a leading provider of precision stages and engineered motion solutions for the medical, life sciences, and diagnostics industries. With over 50 years of industry experience, the company’s core strength lies in designing custom engineered motion systems and modules. The company also provides standard products utilizing lead screws and ball screws, belts and pulleys, air bearing and linear motor technologies.
About Invetech
Invetech provides full-spectrum product realization services, partnering with companies around the globe to create breakthrough products and custom automation systems. The experience acquired through more than 30 years in product design, development and contract manufacturing spans a range of healthcare market sectors including laboratory diagnostics, Point of Care diagnostics, cell and advanced therapies, and life sciences. To learn more, please visit https://www.invetechgroup.com/.