The DOF-5 Wins Fortive Innovation Award

Dover Motion’s DOF-5 Objective Focusing Stage ties for the silver award at the Fortive Growth & Innovation Conference.

Each year, Fortive celebrates and cultivates dedication to advancing technology at the Fortive Growth & Innovation Conference. This Fall, innovators from across Fortive met for the third annual Growth & Innovation Conference at Tektronix’s headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. Teams joined together to celebrate innovation at Fortive and learn best practices to accelerate progress across the operating companies.

As part of the event, Jim Lico, Fortive President and Chief Executive Officer, presented three teams with 2018 Fortive Innovation Awards. Nominations were submitted from all 26 Fortive operating companies. Dover Motion’s industry disrupting DOF-5 Objective Focusing Stage tied for the silver award in the 2018 event.

Launched earlier this year, the DOF-5 is a microscope objective nanopositioning stage optimized for optical imaging applications. It includes a new electronics board with embedded motion controller and optical encoder position feedback and new technology for constant force gravity counterbalance. The DOF-5 sells at a much lower price compared to existing piezoelectric motor and flexure bearing solutions typically used for focusing and doesn’t have the performance drawbacks of competitive piezo technology.

It boasts a more affordable price, increased range of motion, and a stiffer bearing for improved image stability. These characteristics caught the attention of SPIE & Photonics Media, which recognize products that are changing our lives for the better. The DOF-5 is a finalist for the 2019 Prism Award.