Aerotech :: High-Accuracy Positioning Stages, Direct-Drive Motors, Galvo Scanners & Motion Controllers

Aerotech Inc., founded in 1970 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a global leader in precision motion control and automation. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of high-accuracy positioning stages, direct-drive motors, galvo scanners, motion controllers, drives, and fully integrated custom systems. With additional offices in Europe and Asia, Aerotech has established itself as a critical supplier to industries requiring sub-micron and nanometer-level performance, including semiconductor fabrication, aerospace and defense, medical devices, photonics/optics, laser processing, electronics manufacturing, and advanced research.

While Aerotech does not primarily manufacture traditional articulated industrial robot arms, its technologies form the precision backbone of many advanced robotic and automated systems. The company excels in supplying high-performance motion subsystems that enable next-generation robotics. Its flagship HexGen® hexapod product line offers six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) parallel kinematic positioning with exceptional stiffness, load capacity, and nanometer-level resolution. These hexapods are deployed in precision alignment robotics, camera and sensor calibration, satellite and optics testing, synchrotron applications, and medical robotics.

Aerotech’s Cartesian gantry systems, planar air-bearing tables, and PRO-series mechanical-bearing stages serve as core components in robotic workcells for laser micromachining, additive manufacturing, automated inspection, pick-and-place operations, and 3D printing. Their direct-drive linear and rotary motors eliminate backlash and mechanical compliance, delivering the ultra-smooth, high-bandwidth motion essential for high-speed robotic processes. The Automation 3200 (A3200) multi-axis software-based controller is particularly powerful for robotics. It supports complex kinematic transformations, synchronized multi-axis trajectories, G-code compatibility, error mapping, and tight integration with machine vision, lasers, and external sensors. This makes it ideal for sophisticated robotic platforms that require precise coordination across many axes.

Recent innovations emphasize robotic additive manufacturing, “lights-out” precision automation, and integration with Industry 4.0 systems. Aerotech solutions are used to enhance the accuracy of conventional industrial robots through secondary high-precision motion stages or advanced error compensation. Applications span semiconductor wafer-handling robots, catheter and imaging systems in medical robotics, photonics assembly robots, large-scale robotic 3D printing for aerospace components, and laboratory automation.

Aerotech maintains strong vertical integration, manufacturing most components in its Pittsburgh facility under ISO 9001 certification. This enables rapid customization and high quality control. The company offers extensive engineering support, simulation tools, and “design-to-order” services, allowing OEMs and system integrators to embed Aerotech technology into complete robotic solutions. As demand increases for higher precision in electric vehicle manufacturing, advanced medical procedures, and next-generation semiconductor equipment, Aerotech’s motion platforms continue to play a foundational role in the evolution of high-accuracy robotics. Their combination of mechanical excellence, sophisticated controls, and application expertise makes them a preferred partner for organizations pushing the boundaries of robotic performance.