| A rotary table is designed to be used in conjunction | | | | Rotary stages are used in industrial robots, fiber optics |
| with vertical mills. When a rotary table is put on a | | | | and photonics, vision systems, machine tools, assembly, |
| vertical mill what you create is a machine that is | | | | semiconductor equipment, medical component laser |
| theoretically capable of reproducing itself, is a precision | | | | machining, electronic manufacturing, and other |
| work positioning device used in metalworking. | | | | high-performance industrial automation applications. |
| A standard milling machine set-up usually involves | | | | Rotary stages provide the best angular positioning and |
| aligning the work with the table and then with the | | | | velocity control. Applications range from indexing to |
| spindle. The table can be accurately moved with the | | | | high-speed laser machining to precision wafer |
| hand wheels making this a simple operation for most. | | | | inspection. All of these applications are fine tuned to |
| Aligning a part on a rotary table however can be | | | | the best numbers possible using rotary stages. |
| difficult because the work has to be clamped into | | | | There are several types of rotary stages at this point |
| position. This is not always easy when you are | | | | in the game however the ones getting the most press |
| working alone. | | | | are the laser guided rotary stages. Utilizing lasers helps |
| Most experts suggest that you start by doing the | | | | create the most absolute positioning to date. Some of |
| rotary table work first which can eliminate the need for | | | | the newer rotary stages are ideal for applications that |
| precision aligning. Aligning the milling spindle with the | | | | require X, Y and q degrees of movement for ambient |
| rotary table can be done by indicating the hole in the | | | | and high vacuum environments. They tend to feature |
| center of the rotary table. You then need to spot drill | | | | high resolution, high stability as well as being available |
| the center on the work you wish to have line up with | | | | for ambient and high vacuum environments. Experts |
| the rotary table. Finally put a pointer in the spindle that | | | | also agree that having the choice of lateral and |
| is accurate. After doing this set the work under the | | | | rotational degrees of freedom also lends that extra |
| spindle and lower the head until it engages with the | | | | precision that is needed in delicate jobs as well as the |
| center mark at this point clamp the part down. And | | | | strength for larger projects. |
| there you have it, locked and ready to work with. | | | | |