Experimental evaluations of friction behavior in micro-displacement region positioning for servo motor with air bearings

This research comparatively analyses experimental results of friction characteristics and positioning performance with two types of servo motor using air bearings and rolling bearings. Although the rolling bearings are widely utilized as supporting and/or guiding mechanisms in positioning devices, the positioning performance is generally deteriorated by the influence of friction on the contact surface. In order to avoid the deterioration due to the friction, the air bearings are one of promising approaches with noncontact mechanism. In this paper, comparative analyses are given by measuring the friction characteristics of servo motors with rolling bearings and air bearings, especially in the micro displacement region. In addition, the positioning performance is experimentally compared using prototypes.