The Z Axis Guide Tube V-Plane® is a critical support component engineered to maintain the stability and alignment of long-stroke bellows in V-Plane® Z-axis manipulator stages. It is especially recommended for use with 1.5 inch (38.1 mm) bore V-Plane® stages exceeding 6 inches (152.4 mm) of linear travel to mitigate the risk of off-axis motion, which could otherwise result in bellows failure or injury when transitioning from vacuum to atmosphere.

Each guide tube integrates both linear and rotary bearing supports—accommodating 0.250" (6.35 mm) and 0.375" (9.53 mm) diameter shafts—to ensure smooth and constrained motion throughout the stroke. The design includes two 180° opposing slots at the tube tip to allow routing of wires or tubing for sample heating, cooling, biasing, or thermocouple measurement.

With four 1-1/3 inch (33.8 mm) and one 2-3/4 inch (69.9 mm) Del-Seal™ CF accessory flange ports, users can expand the functionality of their manipulation system by integrating additional components. Built with UHV-compatible materials and bakeable to 230°C (446°F), this V-Plane® building block is ideal for precision and safety in demanding vacuum environments.

Industry Applications

The Z Axis Guide Tube V-Plane® is vital for maintaining precision in semiconductor fabrication, surface science, thin film deposition, and UHV system engineering. It supports long-travel vertical motion stages, especially where integrated heating, cooling, or instrumentation is required. Its design ensures both safe bellows operation and multi-functional system expandability through accessory port integration.