TMC has launched the CleanBench™ vibration isolation lab tables that are suitable for a wide range of applications, such as confocal microscopy, AFM, IVF, Interferometry, patch-clamping, and metrology.
Part of TMC’s industry standard 63 series vibration isolation lab tables, the CleanBench brings the latest, patent-pending, enhancements to the table tops with next-generation Gimbal Piston™ air vibration isolation system.
CleanBench comes with a number of features such as a more compact design, better ergonomics, more stability, and guided thread lead-ins. The patent-pending, unique table-top design integrates the unique features of TMC’s CleanTop® steel honeycomb tops with ultra-stiff, damped, layered platform design.
The high density, low profile tops reduce the overall floating center-of-mass, thereby ensuring excellent stability, even for relatively top-heavy payloads. Guided thread lead-ins are also provided to align screws with tapped holes, and the bevel shape mitigates engagement of the first thread. Additionally, the thickness of the table-top is reduced to ensure optimized ergonomics for the seated user.
Other designs include 100mm-thick tops which ineptly separate elbows or knees or compromise on essential mass by providing a 50mm thick honeycomb top that lacks sufficient mass for effective vibration isolation, particularly in case of smaller table sizes.
CleanBench Top Selections
The proprietary smooth, laminated top construction is perfect for compact, desk-style vibration isolation tables. These platforms measure 50mm in thickness and integrate packed layers of steel and rigid epoxy bonded into a flawless, stainless steel shell with rounded edges.
For users who do not prefer a grid of tapped holes, these platforms provide a perfect solution. Users requiring a grid of holes to bolt-down their positioning equipment or payload had to compromise for a scaled-down steel honeycomb optical top construction.
While such tops offer a grid of holes, they are large, less ergonomic for the seated user, and increase the center-of-mass of the payload, thus reducing stability. In contrast, the CleanBench tables provide versions of TMC’s laminated design, whether or not a grid of tapped holes is required without sacrificing on performance.
The low-profile tops provide excellent stiffness, damping, and flatness in an easy-to-clean stainless steel shell. A core cross-section facilitates in providing a design that has a smooth, even surface or with a grid of metric (M6 on 25mm) or imperial (1/4-20 on 1-inch) tapped holes.
TMC’s proprietary technique of forming the tapped holes results in beveled lead-ins, easing thread engagement, and enabling a full three threads. These tops are particularly designed for desk-style workstations and serve as an ideal surface for small vibration isolation tables.
CleanBench Performance
Structural damping helps in determining how rapidly an excited resonance decays in a table top. One easy way to determine damping is to hammer the table top and determine the decay with an oscilloscope and an accelerometer, or with a spectrum analyzer. Damping can also be measured by the height of the resonance peak in the compliance curve.
Compliance refers to a reciprocal measurement of a table top’s dynamic stiffness. Information is acquired by inputting a quantified force to the table top by means of a calibrated hammer and ultimately determining the resultant acceleration using an accelerometer. Compliance also refers to the ratio of displacement to force expressed as a function of frequency.
TMC’s Gimbal Piston Air Isolators is a standard feature in all CleanBench tables. They have shown to be better than other air isolators in side-by-side testing, providing excellent low frequency vibration isolation in all axes and sustaining its performance specifications even when subjected to low input excitation levels. Proprietary damping methods enable the Gimbal Piston to stabilize extremely top-heavy payloads and rapidly dissipate disturbances of the separated table top.
Key Features and Benefits
The main features of the CleanBench™ vibration isolation lab tables are as follows:
- Table ships are pre-installed on isolator frame
- Simply roll table off skid into final destination
- Reduces set-up time
- Heavy lifting is not required
- Casters are required
Accessories
TMC’s CleanBench™ vibration isolation lab tables come with wide range of accessories. Adjustable steel front support bar can be mounted on the front legs of the table. It has a slot, in which the shelves are mounted and is generally provided with the armrest pads. The bar can be entered along the table’s length or cantilevered to either side of the table, thus enabling a broader sliding shelf to suit specific application needs.
Adjustable steel rear support bar can be mounted on the rear table legs, and supports the rear end of the sliding shelves. Similar to the adjustable steel front support bar, it can be cantilevered to either side of the table, thus enabling for a wider sliding shelf. Although both rear and front support bars can be retrofitted, they cannot be utilized with the Faraday cage or the Full perimeter enclosure.
Retractable casters can be mounted on the bottom of the table legs. Having a total weight capacity of 1,000lb, casters are needed when the OnTrak™ feature is used. Adjustable armrest pads can easily attach to the front support bar. An armrest pad is also provided by TMC that fastens to the full perimeter enclosure.
White laminate sliding shelves can easily slide from one side to another and can be taken off from the support bars. Built-in stops ensure that shelves do not slide off the slots. Customers must order both front and rear support bars while placing order for the sliding shelves.
A subshelf allows for more storage space and can either be placed below the separated table top or can be retrofitted. Fixed full-perimeter enclosure is a welded-steel structure, which fully encloses the table top to give a non-isolated support for Faraday cages or other unique fixtures. However, this enclosure cannot be utilized with support bars or sliding shelves. An 8” wide sliding shelf, particularly designed for the full perimeter enclosure, is needed for use with the Faraday cage.
Precision height control valves are typical TMC height control valves that feature a small “dead band,” to reduce the usage of bottled air supply, providing a height return accuracy of +/- 1.3mm, +/- 0.05”. Precision valves can control height to within +/- 0.005”, but tend to exhaust continuously. These valves can even be retrofitted to installed tables.
Faraday cage provides both simplified assembly and improved access. It is specifically designed for projecting in electro-physiology type applications. The easy-to-use window-shade retracting front panel causes minimum disturbance when adjusted. The front panel can be placed anywhere between closed and fully opened and remains in the same position without a fastener. The Faraday cage features a bronze-mesh material and a steel frame, and can be mounted to a preferred full-perimeter enclosure.
Faraday cage measuring 40” in height also features a 2” diameter hole in the bottom and rear side of the panels. This feature reduces cable interface to the cage interior. TMC provides a new version of the armrest pads that can be used with the cages. They are similar to the non-Faraday Cage pads but can fasten with Velcro. An easy-to-use, roll-off option for the CleanBench™ tables simplifies table rigging and installation processes.
Specifications
The specifications of the CleanBench™ vibration isolation lab table are given below:
- Isolator natural frequency:
- High Input: Vertical = 1.2 Hz; Horizontal = 1.0 Hz
- Low Input: Vertical = 1.5 - 2.0 Hz; Horizontal = 1.2 - 1.7Hz
- Isolation efficiency @ 5 Hz:
- Vertical = 70 - 85%
- Horizontal = 75 - 90%
- Isolation efficiency @ 10 Hz:
- Vertical = 90 - 97%
- Horizontal = 90 - 97%
- Recommended load capacity: 350 lb (160kg)
- Finish: Medium texture black powder coat frame, stainless steel top
- Facilities required: 80psi (5.4 bar) nitrogen or air
- Shipping weight: Approximately 600 lb (272kg)
- Height control valves: repeatability standard valve +/- 0.050 in. (1.3mm); Precision valve: +/- 0.005in. (.13mm)
The TMC CleanBench™ Vibration Isolation Lab Table for use in Confocal Microscopy
CleanBench™ (With Gimbal Piston™ Vibration Isolation)
Unique new table-top design (patent pending)
CleanBench™ with tapped holes
Adjustable Steel Front Support Bar
White Laminate Sliding Shelves
TMC’s Precision Height Control Valves