Linear scales speed imaging

Medical scanners now view up to 40 slides/hr.

DMetrix Inc. of Tucson, Ariz., incorporates Heidenhain Lida 400 linear scales in its new medicalimaging machine. This highspeed medical scanner excels in critical digital pathology applications.

The DX040 scanner is an ultraprecise medical microscope slide scanner based on the company's arraymicroscope technology, which allows for digitally imaging up to 40 slides/hr. "The Lida 400 linear scale is the heart of our system," says Artur Olszak, director of engineering at DMetrix.

The scales precisely control the speed and position of the unit's special transport component within a demanding closedloop system." The component is DMetrix's slipstream slide loader that rapidly transports slides on a cushion of air.

Small Lida 400 scales feature grating pitches of 20 µ and generous mounting tolerances. They are wellsuited encoders for precise equipment positioning in small packages. Scanninghead heights are 12 mm, and scanning areas measure 14.5 mm 2 . This large scanning area gives the encoder tolerance to contamination.

Heidenhain Corp.
Circle 202