Minus K®’s FP-1 vibration isolation system includes two, three or four Minus K® SM-1 negative-stiffness vibration isolators, a large platform, outriggers that link the isolators to the platform, ballast weights, and isolator floor and jack screw plates that help to distribute the load on the floor.
The FP-1 platform is a heavy steel plate typically weighing almost equal to the weight of the microscope itself. This design has been developed specifically to reduce the overall system center of gravity (CG) to the isolator tilt mechanism level. This is mainly to prevent horizontal-tilt coupling that could occur when horizontal vibrations result in a horizontal and tilting response of the column.
Since the system CG is close to the isolator tilt mechanism level, vibrations are decoupled, thus achieving better isolation control. The massive platform has been designed this way to enable the large total mass of the system to reduce any effects from stiff hoses and cables connected to the microscope.
Only the column console is isolated for SEMs and certain TEMs. In certain instances, the display, column, and other components are placed apart on the platform.
The platform has the ability to realize horizontal and vertical natural frequencies of less than or equal to 0.5 Hz, with the internal isolators locked out and all the external cables, lines, and hoses disconnected from the isolated payload. (In most of the microscopes, the external cables, lines, and hoses have a comparatively small effect on the performance of the isolation system.)
Floor Vibration Isolation | Minus K FP-1 Floor Platforms
Customers that prefer to make the platform themselves can purchase the design, the SM-1 Minus K negative-stiffness vibration isolators and build the platform locally to save fabrication and shipping costs.
Vibration Isolation Floor Platform for SEM
LEO 1550 SEM on a two-isolator floor platform
Hitachi S-4800 SEM on a three-isolator floor platform
WITHOUT MINUS K VIBRATION ISOLATION
WITH MINUS K VIBRATION ISOLATION
Give us your low frequency vibration isolation challenge
This is a horizontal only FP-1 for a JEOL JEM 1400 TEM on a 5th floor
JEOL JEM-1400 TEM out of spec before Minus K's FP-1
JEOL JEM-1400 TEM within spec with Minus K's FP-1