Custom aerostatic slides were designed manufactured to
achieve the best performance (Fig. 3). Each of the slides
consists of a DC brushless linear motor with a trapezoidal hall
sensor, a linear encoder readhead with its scale and an air
bearing. The air bearings consist of a sliding cage which is
made of brass assembled around a granite beam. A very
specific groove pattern has been machined on the air bearing
surface to improve stability [33, 34]. The clearance between
the brass plates and the beam surface has been optimized for
better performance of the slides. These slides are actuated by
linear brushless DC motors model LEM-S-3-S from Anorad.