25 mm Travel, Self-Contained Stages for Rigid Stands

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These stages can be secured to a breadboard using two counterbored holes on either end. The holes can be accessed by translating the platform, as shown with the LX10 stage above.

Selection Guide for Rigid Stand Translation Stages
Manual Stages with Quick Connect	Self-Contained Manual Stages	Motorized Stages

Features

• Translate Rigid Stands up to 25 mm in One or Two Horizontal Axes
• Compatible with Rigid Stands via an Adapter Plate
• Crossed Roller Bearings for High-Load Capacity and Low Angular Deviation
• Side-Mounted Metric Micrometer(s) with Ø3/8" (Ø9.5 mm) Barrel
• Each Stage Individually Tested and Shipped with Test Data Certificate
• Mount to an Optical Table Using Four 1/4" (M6) Counterbores

Thorlabs' LX Series Translation Stages and MPA1(/M) Rigid Stand Adapter Plate are designed to be used together with our line of Rigid Stands, which support slide holders, petri dishes, recording chambers, micromanipulators, and other samples that will be inserted into a Cerna^® or other microscope's optical path. When assembled together, the rigid stand, adapter plate, and translation stage maintain a slim profile that consumes a minimal amount of space in and around the optical path, making them ideal for space-constrained microscopy systems where a larger number of stands will need to be used.

For our rigid stands, we also offer 1" motorized translation stages, which feature a stepper motor, as well as our 25 mm manual translation stages with quick connect, which have dovetails for constructing multi-axis stages.

LX Series Translation Stages
Thorlabs' LX series stages are constructed with a full aluminum body and crossed-roller steel bearings for precision motion and high load capacities. See the table to the right for complete stage specifications. The combination of these stages and the adapter plate provides a convenient solution for translating a rigid stand up to 25 mm in one or two horizontal axes with less than 125 µrad of deviation per axis in pitch and yaw over the full range of the stages. Each stage is designed as a standalone stage with a specific number of axes; as such, single-axis stages cannot be combined into multi-axis stages and multi-axis stages cannot be disassembled into single-axis stages.

The stages feature monolithic top and bottom plates that integrate the micrometer mounts for increased stability. The mounting surface includes an array of seven 1/4"-20 (M6) tapped holes. Each stage axis is lockable via a side-located 5/64" (2.0 mm) hex screw in a locking bracket to guard against accidental movement. These stages come equipped with a metric micrometer head for each axis, graduated in millimeters, with 500 µm of travel per revolution. The micrometer can be translated using the knurled knob or, for finer translation, a 5/64" (2.0 mm) hex key. The micrometer can be removed and replaced at any time by loosening the side-located flexure clamp with a 5/64" (2 mm) hex key. 

After each stage is manufactured, the pitch and yaw of the stage are tested. This ensures that each stage meets the stated specifications over the full translation range of the stage. They are shipped with an individualized data sheet providing a summary of these test results. Click here for a sample data sheet for one of our LX10 stages.

Note: The flexure clamp can hold any micrometer that has a Ø3/8" (Ø9.5 mm) mounting barrel. Do not remove the micrometer until the leadscrew is no longer engaged with the moving body of the stage or the locking bracket is fully tightened. Not doing this can damage the stage or require it to be recalibrated to meet its specified performance.

Rigid Stand Adapter Plate
The MPA1(/M) adapter plate is required to mount a rigid stand onto an LX series translation stage. This aluminum adapter plate is designed to have a compact footprint that matches the base of the rigid stand holder. The combination of the adapter plate and translation stage provides a compact manual solution for translating a rigid stand within a setup.