Tecnotion UMV, ULV and UXXV G2 Vacuum Linear Motors Review: Specs, Price and Applications
Updated: 4 days ago
Tecnotion Vacuum Generation 2 is an ironless linear-motor range with vacuum-compatible coil units and magnet yokes. UMV, ULV and UXXV serve different force and packaging requirements, using enclosed stainless-steel coil assemblies and coated magnet structures. They are direct-drive motor components for a separately engineered motion stage, rather than complete guided positioning systems.
Quick Verdict
Consider Vacuum G2 when a semiconductor, inspection or display process needs the motor inside the vacuum chamber and the machine designer can qualify heat removal, cleanliness and motion together. The decisive sizing question is the actual cooling arrangement. Active-cooled continuous-force headlines can be several times the passive-cooled rating, so a high peak-force number is a poor substitute for a complete thermal design.
Tecnotion UMV, ULV and UXXV G2 Vacuum Linear Motors at a Glance
Specification | Details |
Architecture | Ironless three-phase synchronous linear motor; coil unit and matching permanent-magnet yoke; external guidance, feedback and servo amplifier |
UMV3S / UMV6S G2 | Peak 100 / 200 N; passive continuous 5.9 / 10.8 N; active continuous 22 / 44 N |
UMV12N / UMV12S G2 | Peak 400 / 401 N; passive continuous 20 / 20 N; active continuous 86 / 87 N |
ULV9N / ULV9S G2 | Peak 720 / 719 N; passive continuous 41 / 41 N; active continuous 164 / 165 N |
UXXV6N / UXXV9N / UXXV9S / UXXV18N G2 | Peak 1340 / 2010 / 2012 / 4020 N; passive continuous 64 / 94 / 94 / 184 N; active continuous 233 / 349 / 350 / 698 N |
Passive thermal basis | Typical application thermal resistance and a 40°C vacuum-chamber wall; actual conditions affect the rating |
Active thermal basis | 0.02 K/W mounting-path thermal resistance and 20°C mounting surface at continuous current |
Peak thermal basis | 20 K/s temperature rise, magnets at 25°C; transient rating |
Maximum coil temperature | 80°C in the compared tables; all catalog specifications ±10% |
Temperature protection | Tables list three PTC elements and one NTC sensor; confirm wiring and actual protection implementation |
Maximum voltage rating | 230 VAC RMS phase-to-phase (325 VDC in the catalog); available speed depends on bus voltage |
Vacuum scope | Manufacturer specifies compatibility down to 10⁻⁸ mbar; complete-chamber pressure and cleanliness remain application-dependent |
Price | Request a quote for exact coil, winding, yokes, cleaning and acceptance scope |
Design and Engineering Assessment
The absence of an iron core removes the normal iron-core attraction force between coil and magnet assembly; the catalog motor-attraction entry is zero. That can reduce a bearing load and avoid cogging associated with iron teeth. It does not make a finished stage frictionless, eliminate permanent-magnet handling hazards or establish a particular positioning accuracy. Guides, cables, feedback and machine geometry remain part of the result.
Vacuum changes the thermal problem because ordinary air convection is unavailable. A motor that operates acceptably in air may accumulate heat differently inside a chamber. The G2 catalog therefore gives separate passive and active continuous-force columns. For UXXV18N G2, these are 184 and 698 N, while peak force is 4020 N. A passive installation must not be sized from the active number without providing the specified heat path.
The stainless enclosure and vacuum-compatible magnet-yoke coating address materials and cleanliness, but chamber performance is a system property. Pumping speed, chamber surfaces, cables, connectors, lubricants and the process itself all contribute to gas load and contamination. A motor compatibility statement cannot guarantee the pressure, residual-gas spectrum or particle behavior of an assembled machine.
A linear motor also separates thrust generation from guidance. Define the moving mass, orientation, acceleration, process force and cable disturbance, then select guides and position measurement independently. The control loop must achieve the process requirement under those loads. High motor force and a fine encoder scale do not by themselves establish settling time, straightness or wafer-handling accuracy.
UMV G2: the compact coil choice
UMV3S and UMV6S G2 have coil lengths of 81 and 141 mm and masses of 0.19 and 0.33 kg excluding cables. UMV12 variants are 261 mm and 0.61 kg. The shorter choices can suit a lighter moving assembly, but their continuous force must still be selected against the actual cooling arrangement and repeated duty.
The two UMV12 windings illustrate an electrical tradeoff. N has a 47.8 N/A RMS force constant and 8.4 A RMS peak current, while S lists 20.0 N/A RMS and 20.1 A RMS. Active continuous force is nearly equal at 86 and 87 N, but their available speed at the stated bus voltage differs. Choose winding, supply and amplifier as one system.
ULV9 G2: winding and cooling belong in the specification
ULV9N and ULV9S share a 273 mm coil length and 1.10 kg mass excluding cables. Both list 41 N passive continuous force. Their active entries are 164 and 165 N, and peak entries are 720 and 719 N. Preserve these exact winding values rather than treating the rounded website headline as a universal operating point.
At 300 V, catalog maximum-speed entries are 5.0 m/s for N and 13.6 m/s for S. Their force constants are 68.0 and 27.3 N/A RMS, with corresponding peak currents of 10.6 and 26.3 A RMS. A faster winding has different power-stage demands; a high speed must also be checked against stroke, guidance, feedback and stopping distance.
UXXV G2: high force with a larger moving assembly
UXXV6N, UXXV9 and UXXV18N coil lengths are 251, 365 and 707 mm, with masses of 1.74, 2.54 and 4.95 kg excluding cables. Their size and moving mass affect the stage design alongside available force. Select whether the coil or magnet structure moves based on the actual machine, cable and thermal architecture.
UXXV9N and UXXV9S have nearly equal active continuous force at 349 and 350 N, but the S winding lists 42.2 A RMS peak current compared with 17.1 A RMS for N. Their maximum-speed entries at 325 V are 7.7 and 2.8 m/s respectively. Do not combine the lower current of one winding with the higher speed of the other as a single configuration.
Design the heat path before applying the active rating
The active-cooled force columns assume a mounting path of 0.02 K/W and a mounting surface at 20°C. They are not evidence that a complete cooling plate or chiller is included with the motor. Specify the coil interface, contact quality, heat removal and sensor response for the assembled machine, then validate under representative chamber and process conditions.
The maximum coil-temperature entry is 80°C. The thermal sensor and cut-off elements need compatible monitoring and a defined reaction to overheating. Allow for thermal expansion near the process and position-measurement system. A favorable force constant can reduce losses at a given thrust, but does not remove winding heat or the need to manage it.
Vacuum, outgassing and handling
The current brochure specifies vacuum compatibility down to 10⁻⁸ mbar and typical hydrocarbon outgassing between 10⁻⁷ and 10⁻⁸ mbar L/s depending on motor type and configuration. Request the relevant measurement conditions and acceptance information for the exact supplied assembly. A typical component gas-load figure is not a guaranteed chamber pressure.
Tecnotion offers in-house residual-gas analysis and vacuum bake-out on request. Define those services and their acceptance scope explicitly in the quotation. Preserve cleanliness during unpacking, installation and cable routing, and use the specified materials and handling process. Do not infer an unlimited bake temperature from the motor’s vacuum suitability.
Yokes, stroke and electrical connections
The magnet-yoke sections can be butted to construct a longer track. The table gives UMV yokes at 150 or 390 mm, ULV at 126 or 420 mm and UXXV at 114 or 456 mm. These are track building blocks, not guaranteed useful travel. Determine usable stroke from coil length, end margins, joints and the machine’s motion limits.
Provide a compatible external amplifier, linear position feedback and appropriate commutation. The flying power and sensor leads allow an application-specific wiring arrangement, but electrical connections still need a qualified vacuum boundary and suitable strain management. Placing the motor inside the chamber avoids a mechanical drive transmission through the wall; it does not mean electrical power and feedback require no connections.
Acceptance and alternative selection
For qualification, test the real motion cycle while monitoring temperatures, following error and the process-relevant settling result. Verify chamber pressure and residual gas under the agreed preparation and operating conditions. Include cable behavior, guide friction and cooling faults rather than judging the motor only at an unloaded force demonstration.
Compare UMV, ULV and UXXV at the same cooling basis, moving mass, stroke and required force-speed cycle. A standard non-vacuum ironless motor should not inherit the G2 material and cleanliness claims. An assembled vacuum stage may be more appropriate when guidance, feedback and system-level acceptance are required as one supplier responsibility.
Applications and Selection
Tecnotion identifies semiconductor equipment, lithography, inspection, display production, science and aerospace as application areas for the Vacuum G2 range. UMV suits lighter and space-constrained mechanisms; ULV targets medium-force dynamic axes; UXXV addresses higher-force duties such as display equipment. These are selection boundaries, not claims that a particular completed machine has been tested by ATC.
For Tecnotion UMV, ULV and UXXV G2 Vacuum Linear Motors, define the actual machine duty before selecting an ordering configuration. Include the required operating point, available installation space, environment and control interfaces. The specification table describes the product or family; the surrounding machine determines which of those features matters for the intended job.
Price and Value
Price: Request a quote for the exact configuration. Compare the product, compatible control equipment, required mechanical parts, cabling and commissioning as one installed system. A component price alone does not represent the cost of a working automation axis.
Evaluate an alternative against the same duty and acceptance criteria. Match the continuous operating requirement first, then compare transient capability, feedback, mechanical fit and support. This avoids choosing between superficially similar products whose ratings describe different operating conditions.
Pros and Cons
Advantages
Vacuum-compatible enclosed coil units and matching magnet-yoke materials
Ironless architecture with zero catalog motor-attraction force
Separate passive and active continuous-force data support realistic thermal sizing
Three coil families and winding choices address different force and packaging requirements
Limitations
Requires separately engineered guidance, feedback, control and thermal management
Active continuous-force ratings depend on a specified mounting heat path
Outgassing and chamber performance require configuration-specific qualification
Peak force is a transient thermal limit rather than sustained thrust
Who Should Consider Tecnotion UMV, ULV and UXXV G2 Vacuum Linear Motors?
Consider this family when designing a vacuum motion axis whose motor, yokes, guides, feedback, cabling and thermal interfaces can be qualified together. Choose the coil and winding only after the active or passive cooling basis, force-speed cycle, stroke and contamination limits are defined.
Tecnotion UMV, ULV and UXXV G2 Vacuum Linear Motors FAQ
Are UMV, ULV and UXXV complete positioning stages?
No. They are motor-component families consisting of a coil unit and matching magnet structure. The machine needs suitable guidance, position feedback, an amplifier, control and application-specific thermal and vacuum integration.
Which continuous-force column should be used?
Use the column matching the actual thermal design. Passive values use the stated chamber-wall and thermal assumptions; active values assume a 0.02 K/W mounting path and 20°C mounting surface. Validate the assembled installation rather than applying the larger number automatically.
Can UXXV18 G2 provide 4020 N continuously?
No. That is its peak-force entry with a 20 K/s temperature-rise definition. The catalog gives 184 N passive continuous and 698 N active continuous force, subject to their stated thermal conditions.
Are the N and S windings interchangeable?
No. They can have similar continuous force but different force constants, current requirements and speed limits. For ULV9, the N and S peak-current entries are 10.6 and 26.3 A RMS. Retain the complete winding identity when selecting the amplifier.
Does vacuum compatibility guarantee 10⁻⁸ mbar in my chamber?
No. The motor compatibility statement concerns the component. Chamber pressure and cleanliness depend on the total gas load, pumping system, materials, preparation and operating conditions. Agree the required residual-gas and pressure acceptance separately.
Is bake-out included or unlimited?
Tecnotion offers in-house RGA and vacuum bake-out on request. Specify the supplied preparation, measurement conditions and allowed thermal process for the exact assembly. Vacuum suitability does not establish an unlimited bake temperature.
Do yoke lengths define the useful stroke?
No. Yokes are track building blocks that can be joined. Usable stroke also depends on coil length, end margins, joint design, position measurement and mechanical limits.
What should be included in the quotation?
Request the exact coil size and winding, matching yokes, leads, sensor details, cleaning and optional RGA or bake-out scope. Define cooling, force-speed duty, stroke and vacuum acceptance, then include the external amplifier, feedback and stage integration.
Prices are indicative and may change. Confirm the final configuration, commercial terms and delivery schedule before ordering.
