THE 12 INCH BY 16 INCH (304MM BY 406MM) KINEMATIC PLATFORM IS A WELL-ESTABLISHED DESIGN, WITH YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL USE._x000D_
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THIS SEASONED DESIGN IS RUGGED, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT IS LIGHTWEIGHT._x000D_
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A HIGH STIFFNESS IS ACHIEVED THROUGH AN INTEGRAL RIBBED STRUCTURE. THE CAST ALUMINUM DESIGN PROVIDES GOOD DAMPING AND HIGH STIFFNESS._x000D_
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THE UPPER PLATFORM IS ONE AND ONE HALF INCHES (38 MM) THICK BUT WEIGHS ONLY 16 POUNDS, (7.2 KG). THE OVERALL HEIGHT FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE LOWER PLATFORM TO THE TOP OF THE UPPER PLATFORM IS THREE AND ONE QUARTER INCHES ( 3 1/4", 82.6 MM )._x000D_
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THE KINEMATIC COUPLINGS USED ON THIS PLATFORM ARE OF A HIGH LOAD CARRYING DESIGN. IT USES THREE SPHERES OF THREE QUARTER INCH ( 3/4", 19MM ) DIAMETER ON THE BASE AND THREE CYLINDRICAL VEE'S ON THE UPPER PLATE. THE THREE SPHERES ARE NOT ORDINARY STEEL BEARING BALLS; BUT ARE ULTRA FINE GRAIN, HIGH CHROME, HIGH CARBON STAINLESS STEEL THAT IS HARDENED TO 58 HRC MINIMUM AND PRECISION LAPPED TO AFBMA INSTRUMENT QUALITY GRADE 10. STANDARD STEEL BEARING BALLS USED IN COMPETITIVE PRODUCTS ARE PRONE TO RUST AND ARE VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO FRETTING, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS OF KINEMATIC COUPLINGS._x000D_
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THE KINEMATIC COUPLINGS IN THE UPPER PLATFORM CONSIST OF THREE PAIR OF ONE-HALF INCH ( 1/2", 12.7 MM) DIAMETER CYLINDERS THAT FORM THREE VEES. THESE CYLINDERS ARE SECURELY GLUED INTO THREE PRECISION-MACHINED TRENCHES, WITH A CERAMIC FILLED EPOXY, THAT HAS A 3000-POUND PER SQUARE INCH (535 KG PER SQUARE CM) SHEAR STRENGTH. THESE CYLINDERS ARE MADE OF EXACTLY THE SAME MATERIAL AND PROCESSED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE PRECISION BALLS. AFTER HARDENING, THESE CYLINDERS ARE GROUND AND PRECISION LAPPED TO A SURFACE TEXTURE THAT IS BELOW ONE MICROINCH (25 NM) RA. THIS CONTRASTS WITH COMPETITIVE PRODUCTS THAT USE COMMERCIALLY GROUND ONLY DOWEL PINS, MADE OF CARBON STEEL THAT IS PRONE TO RUST AND VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO FRETTING._x000D_
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THERE ARE TWO STANDARD VERSIONS OF THE 12"-16" UPPER PLATFORMS._x000D_
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IT IS AVAILABLE WITH A PLAIN FLAT TOP SURFACE, SO THAT OUR CUSTOMER CAN PROVIDE ANY CUSTOM MOUNTING FACILITIES THEY DESIRE; OR WE WILL BID MACHINING THE MOUNTING FEATURES TO YOUR BLUE PRINT OR ROUGH SKETCH. THE TOP SURFACE OF THIS PLATFORM IS GROUND FLAT. THIS PLAIN CONFIGURATION IS THE LEAST EXPENSIVE. IT IS PART NUMBER KP-12-16-P_x000D_
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THE UPPER PLATFORM IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN OUR STANDARD BREADBOARD CONFIGURATION WITH FOUR PRECISION MACHINED TEE SLOTS THAT USE STANDARD THREE EIGHTHS OF AN INCH ( 3/8" ) OR M10 TEE-NUT HARDWARE. THIS ARRANGEMENT ALLOWS AN INFINITE VARIETY OF MOUNTING CONFIGURATIONS. THE TOP SURFACE OF THIS PLATFORM IS GROUND FLAT. THIS IS PART NUMBER KP-12-16-S._x000D_
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THERE ARE ALSO TWO STANDARD VERSIONS OF THE LOWER PLATFORM. THE FIRST VERSION OF THE LOWER PLATFORM IS BUILT IN A RUGGED TRIANGULAR CONFIGURATION. THERE ARE THREE SLOTS THAT RUN THE LENGTH OF EACH LEG OF THE TRIANGLE, THAT WILL ACCEPT EITHER THREE EIGHTHS OF AN INCH OR M10 SOCKET HEAD CAP SCREWS, FOR HOLDING THIS PLATFORM TO ITS MOUNTING SURFACE. THERE IS ALSO A RECESSED RIDGE AROUND THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE RIM OF THE TRIANGLE THAT WILL FACILITATE THE USE OF HOLD DOWN CLAMPING. THIS LOWER PLATFORM IS PART NUMBER KP-12-16-CS._x000D_
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THE SECOND STANDARD VERSION OF THE LOWER PLATFORM CONSISTS OF THREE SEPARATE, ONE AND ONE HALF INCH ( 1 1/2", 38 MM) WIDE, BY ONE INCH ( 1", 25.4 MM) THICK, BY FIVE-INCHES ( 5", 127 MM) LONG BARS. EACH BAR HAS AN INSTRUMENT QUALITY, GRADE 10, SPHERE RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON ONE END AND A FOUR INCH LONG RECESSED SLOT, THAT WILL ACCEPT A THREE EIGHTHS OF AN INCH OR M10 SOCKET HEAD CAP SCREW TO HOLD IT DOWN. THIS SET OF 3 PIECES IS PART NUMBER KP-3-HEAVY-BAR._x000D_
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WITH A SYMMETRICAL LIGHT LOAD, THE 12-16 PLATFORM CAN REPEAT IN ALL SIX DEGREES OF FREEDOM WITHIN 4 MICROINCHES (0.1 MICROMETERS)._x000D_
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THIS PLATFORM WILL CARRY UP TO 100 POUNDS ( 45 KG ) OF LOAD SAFELY.