Product Design & Development - September 2007
Minus K Nixes Vibration
Negative-stiffness vibration isolation improves data set integrity
Minus K Technology Inc., in a joint venture with Kinetic Systems, has released the MK26 Series Vibration Control Workstation, designed for ultra-low natural frequency applications and negative stiffness vibration isolators to provide a compact, passive vibration isolation workstation, with vertical and horizontal isolation efficiencies. Vertical motion isolation is provided by a stiff spring that supports a weight load, combined with a negative-stiffness mechanism (NSM).The net vertical stiffness is made low without affecting the static load-supporting capability of the spring, according to the company. Beam columns connected in series with the vertical-motion isolator provide horizontal-motion isolation. The horizontal stiffness of the beam columns is reduced by the beam column effect-a beam-column behaves as a spring combined with an NSM.
The workstation also features :
- Minus K isolators adjusted to 1/2 Hz to achieve 93 percent isolation efficiency at 2 Hz, 99 percent at 5 Hz and 99.7 percent at 10 Hz.
- A vibradamped frame.
- A choice of tabletops and other customizable accessories.
- Class 100 clean room compatibility, while Class 10 is available.
- A vertical load adjustment crank-a manual adjustment that compensates for changes in vertical load.
- A vertical stiffness adjustment screw to dial in Hz or less vertical natural frequency.