A common use for actuators and stages is cycling, or moving back and forth between two points either continuously or for a set number of cycles. Typically these cycling applications have a number of characteristics, including the profile of the movement, the amplitude or distance of the travel, and the frequency or period of the cycle. Depending on the requirements, there are different optimal strategies for getting the best results from Zaber devices. There are also limitations to what the devices can do.
This article covers common movement profile types including triangle wave, sawtooth, sinusoidal wave, and rounded triangle wave. Considerations such as accurate amplititude versus accurate timing, triggering, and high frequency limitations are also discussed.
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