Sound &
Vibration - July 2007
New Ultralow-Frequency Vibration Isolated Workstation
Minus K® Technology, Inc., in a joint venture with Kinetic
Systems, has released the MK26 Series Vibration Control Workstation™.
The unit is specifically designed for ultralow natural frequency
applications and negative stiffness vibration isolators to
provide a compact, passive vibration isolation workstation
with excellent vertical and horizontal isolation efficiencies.
Based on field testing and user evaluations, the Minus K 1/2-Hz
vibration isolation workstation performs about 10 to 100 times
better than high-performance, pneumatically isolated tables,
depending on vibration isolation frequencies. Better than
active or electronic-cancellation systems, the MK26 Series
can be configured for a wide variety of applications and customized
with a broad range of vibration isolation workstation accessories.
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Minus K negative stiffness vibration isolators employ
a revolutionary concept in low-frequency vibration isolation.
Vertical-motion isolation is provided by a stiff spring
that supports a weight toad, combined with a negative-stiffness
mechanism (NSM). The net vertical stiffness is made
very low without affecting the static load-supporting
capability of the spring. 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 result is a compact passive isolator capable of
very low vertical and horizontal natural frequencies
and very high internal structural frequencies. Minus
K isolators (adjusted to 1/2 Hz) achieve 93% isolation
efficiency at 2 Hz; 99% at 5 Hz; and 99.7% at 10 Hz.
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Figure 1. MK2G Vibration Control
Workstation.
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Unique features of the MK26 Series Vibration Control Workstation
include:
- Ultralow natural frequencies
- Vibradamped frame
- Customizable accessories
- No air supply or electric power needed; easy to use
- Choice of tabletops
- Ergonomic styling
- Class 100 clean-room compatible
- Class 10 available
- No maintenance
The MK26 provides for easy adjustment, A vertical load adjustment
crank is a simple manual adjustment that compensates for changes
in vertical load; the vertical load adjustment indicator lets
you easily determine the optimum setting using this simple
visual indicator; the vertical stiffness adjustment screw
lets you easily dial in a guaranteed 1/2-Hz or less vertical
natural frequency.
The unit has a maximum load capacity of 700 lbs, a maximum
tabletop width of 48 in, and maximum tabletop depth of 36
in. "The MK26 Workstation, as with all Minus K products,
represents an important enabling technology," says Dr.
David L. Flatus, president and founder of Minus K. "By
reducing building and floor vibrations to ultralow levels,
these systems enable vibration-sensitive instruments and equipment
to perform at unprecedented levels."
| Minus K Technology was founded in 1993
to develop, manufacture and market slate-of-the-art vibration
isolation products based on the company's patented negative-stiffness-mechanism
technology. Minus K products, sold under the trade name
Nano-K®, are used in a broad spectrum of applications
including nanotechnology, biological sciences, semiconductors,
materials research, zero-g simulation of spacecraft and
high-end audio. The company is an OEM supplier to leading
manufactures of scanning probe microscopes, microhardness
testers and other vibration-sensitive instruments and
equipment. Minus K customers include private companies
and more than 200 leading universities and government
laboratories in 35 countries. |
Figure 2. Transmissibility of Minus K workstation
compared with a table equipped with conventional pneumatic
vibration isolators.
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For more information please visit www.minusk.com.
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