An Infinite-stiffness Aerostatic Bearing with an Exhaust-control Restrictor

The aerostatic bearing is a crucial element for ultra-precision machine tools, and its stiffness should be as high as possible. To obtain an infinite bearing stiffness, we propose a new type of active restrictor. Differing from conventional inflow passive and active restrictors [1], the proposed restrictor controls the air volume exhausted from the bearing surface. Therefore, we have called this active restrictor an exhaust-control restrictor (ECR). Main advantage of the ECR is its stability for the occurrence of pneumatic hammer.