Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF
Motivation
The requirements for precision bearing accuracy of assemblies is growing in scientific equipment construction. For special-purpose applications in precision engineering and microtechnology, air-lubricated bearings are being increasingly used.
By using glass or glass ceramic as a bearing material and employing the manufacturing and assembly methods of the optical industry, plane and double spherical bearing with outstanding properties can be realized.
Benefits
- Structurally unambiguously defined bearing principle
- Spherical bearing principle enables self-centering effect
- Use of αmin-materials ensures thermal stability
- Avoidance of ductile deformation with use of glass and glass ceramic
- High bearing rigidity
- Very high running accuracy
Our work
The Fraunhofer IOF develops and builds air bearings using the double spherical or plane spherical bearing principle.
- Calculation, simulation, design and production of aerostatic and aerodynamic bearings
- Structuring of bearing surfaces to generate self-pumping bearings
- Production of miniature nozzles
- Ultra-precision processing
- Precision balancing
- Metrological characterization of bearings