Aerotech Timeline

1996: Introduced the AGS10000 linear-motor-driven gantry.

2002: FiberMax wins NFOEC 2002 Attendees’ Choice

1997: Introduced the BA Intellidrive.

Award. Automation 3200 named Design News 2002 Best

1998: Patent on linear motor driven vertical lift stage (U.S.

Product of the Year finalist and PD & D Engineering

Patent #5,731,641). Won the Machine Design Achievement

Awards 2002 Top 50 Product. Patents on a calibrated

Award for slides and ways. Introduced the BLMF series flat

encoder multiplier (U.S. Patent #6,356,219 and #6,501,403),

linear motors and BAL linear amplifier.

on a direct-drive tilt and goniometer stage (U.S. Patent

1999: Introduced the ABL2000 linear air-bearing stage and

#6,442,851), and on a small footprint vertical lift and rota-

the U500PCI PC-bus-based motion controller.

tion stage (U.S. Patent #6,486,574).

2000: Won the Machine Design Achievement Award for

2003: Aerotech developments include the ADRT and

slides and ways.

ADR160 Series Rotary Stages; the AVL113/125 Vertical

2001: Aerotech develops the first software-based, 32 axis

Lift Stages; the ASR2000 High-Speed Spindle; the

motion, vision and I/O controller — the Automation 3200.

ATS1000, ATS1100-H, and ALS Series Linear Stages; the

The Automation 3200 is voted one of the year’s 50 most

ABL1000 Air-Bearing Stage; the BL Linear Amplifier; and

innovative products by the readers of Design News.

continuous improvements to the A3200 32-Axis Motion,

FiberAlign 130 wins OFC 2001 Attendees’ Choice Award.

Vision and I/O System. Aerotech expands headquarters.

Introduced the U500 ISA PC-bus-based motion con-

Introduced first ball-screw-based positioning systems

troller and the UNIDEX 511 stand-alone, multi-axis motion

with advanced linear servo drives. This represented a revolu-

tionary advancement in system throughput - five times better

than lead screw and stepper motor technology. Adapted and

1991: Patent on successive fringe detection position interfer-

widely deployed by IBM, DuPont, and Westinghouse. Patent

ometry (U.S. Patent #5,018,862). Introduced AOM series

on coarse and fine adjustment positioning mechanism (U.S.

AZ/EL optical mounts.

Patent #3,727,471). Established subsidiary in Germany.

1992: Patent on quadrature error correction (U.S. Patent

1980s: Introduced UNIDEX series microprocessor-based

#5,134,404). Introduced the BLM series linear brushless

motion controllers. Developed brushless amplifier and rotary

motors which increased throughput, reliability, and

1993: Introduced the BM series brushless rotary motors.

decreased maintenance. Patents on a switching amplifier

with MOSFET driver circuit (U.S. Patent #4,554,512), a

1994: Introduced the ABL8000 air-bearing stage and BA

milling machine tool changer (U.S. Patent #4,426,763), a

microstepping translator controller (U.S. Patent #4,652,806),

1995: Introduced the ALS2000 linear motor stages series.

and for closed-loop torque angle control of a synchronous

Developed the ABL9000 H-bridge air-bearing stage.

motor (U.S. Patent #4,884,016). Established subsidiary in