ST Series SmartTable optical table tops feature two IQ active dampers which effectively address medium frequency resonances of optical tables by sensing the vibrations and driving shakers at the opposite phase of the vibrations to cancel them out. Broadband damping is provided by a 4.8 mm thick table skin, a constrained layer core that attenuates broadband vibration, a damped working surface that eliminates skin resonance, and a composite edge finish that eliminates sidewall resonance.

The compliance curve shows the positional motion of the structure for a given excitation force and frequency. The dashed red line is the rigid body line showing how an ideal optical table would perform with no relative motion. The blue line shows the natural frequencies of the optical table and how they these deviate from that of a rigid body. The red line shows the full damping performance with active damping turned on. 

The honeycomb core in our optical tables is different than our competitors. Each piece of the corrugated honeycomb steel sheet is emerged in proprietary elastomeric vibration absorbing materials and bonded vertically throughout the height of the optical breadboard or optical table, creating a much stiffer honeycomb core structure. This labor intensive procedure makes sure that Newport's optical breadboard or optical table has the most robust honeycomb structures.

Side panels for optical tables are more than just covers. They should contribute to the overall damping performance of the table. Our optical tables use highly damped composite wood as side panels to help eliminate vibrations from the side. Composite wood has a much better damping performance than steel has a high elasticity and tends to allow vibration or ringing. Materials with low elasticity such as wood tend to dampen vibration and ringing. For example, home stereo speakers are typically enclosed by composite wood to damp the acoustic vibrations.

The 1/4-20 or M6 tapped mounting holes are countersunk and deburred. This ensures easy thread engagement while eliminating contamination problems. The mounting holes are located on a 1 in. or 25 mm grid with standard grid markings for easy and repeatable component placement.

We offer three types of supports for our optical tables. S-2000A Series pneumatic vibration isolators with automatic re-leveling provide industry leading vibration isolation performance, and includes an integrated, mechanical height adjustment system to allow improved table leveling, height control and compensation for non-level floors. SL Series closed pneumatic vibration isolators offer vibration isolation at a very affordable price when automatic re-leveling is not required. The isolators remove floor vibrations in the 10 Hz to 50 Hz range and support a wide variety of less rigorous research and production applications. RL Series non-isolating support legs offer rigid high load support where vibration isolation is not required.

Newport has a dedicated custom design team for your custom needs. This team has been working with various types of materials, shapes (see doubled table tops), structures, hole patterns (and many more) for over 40 years, and has served customers across the world in research, aerospace, semiconductor and medical related fields. Newport is committed to providing: The most accurate and timely quoting response; The most professional communications of custom design review and changes; The optimum turnaround time and the highest quality end product. Contact Newport today for your custom needs.