Motorized Stages for the smallest incremental movement possible?

[xandervolt]

TL;DR Summary

Any suggestions for motorized stages with the smallest increments possible?

I've got a project where I need to move a laser into a detector about 100m away and need to find some motorized stages with the smallest possible incremental movements. The whole package will need to be pretty small, probably no bigger than the size of a bread box. The motorized stages will be controlled by an auto alignment software, not sure what the controller will be, either raspberry pi or a micro form factor PC. Any suggestions for which motorized stages I should use? Thanks

 

[russ_watters]

Summary: Any suggestions for motorized stages with the smallest increments possible?

I've got a project where I need to move a laser into a detector about 100m away and need to find some motorized stages with the smallest possible incremental movements. The whole package will need to be pretty small, probably no bigger than the size of a bread box. The motorized stages will be controlled by an auto alignment software, not sure what the controller will be, either raspberry pi or a micro form factor PC. Any suggestions for which motorized stages I should use? Thanks

By "stage" you mean platform? For a DIY laser aiming system, I'd start with a computerized telescope mount. They give pointing precision measured in arcseconds.

 

[Ranger Mike]

have you taken into account the fact tha tthe laser dot will grow the farther way the target is?
When i was selling alignment lasrs for machine tools, the laser dot at 1 foot was 0.125" and grew to 3/8 inch at 100 feet. What does your laser do regarding this ?

 

[berkeman]

Welcome to the PF.

I've got a project where I need to move a laser into a detector about 100m away and need to find some motorized stages with the smallest possible incremental movements.

Wow, I had trouble parsing what you just said. I pictured a 100m long track that you wanted to move your laser along to move it into a detector at the far end.

I realize now that you meant "aim a laser at a detector", not "move a laser into a detector". Whew!

I like the idea by @russ_watters about using a motorized telescope mount.

 

[Tom.G]

...smallest possible incremental movements.

Would be a positioner using ultrasonic motors. Try:
https://www.newport.com/c/motion-control
Cheers,
Tom

 

[Baluncore]

For each axis, use a spring on one side, opposing a stepper motor driven "differential screw" on the other.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_screw