Products Home / Optical Tables, Breadboards, and Supports / Breadboard Frames and Isolators / Passive Isolation Breadboard Support FramesPassive Isolation Breadboard Support Frames
- Load Capacity up to 700 kg (1,540 lbs)
- Passive Isolation System
- Four Independently Leveled Supports
Passive Isolation
Workstation
Casters Available
Separately
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Features
- Support Frames Accommodate Breadboard Sizes as Large as 1200 mm x 1800 mm (48" x 72")
- Available in 700 mm or 800 mm Frame Heights
- Sturdy, All Steel Construction
- Feet can be Manually Adjusted to Compensate for Uneven Floors
- Set of Casters Available (PWA061, Available Below)
These passive isolation frame presents an ideal, cost-effective, vibration isolation solution for optical breadboards up to 48" x 72" (1200 mm x 1800 mm) in size. The frames are available for either standard loads of 24 to 260 kg (50 to 570 lb) or heavy-duty loads of 135 to 700 kg (300 to 1540 lb) and are supplied with a frame height of 800 mm (31.5”) from stock. Frames with a height of 700 mm (27.6") are available as make to order items.
The passive system is based on four independent, air-mounted, passive vibration isolators. The isolators can be inflated by a simple foot pump. With a vertical resonance frequency of 3.5 Hz, these isolators are an ideal solution for general photonic applications in a typical lab environment. Passive isolation is particularly effective for instruments with a high center of gravity, providing the stability and stiffness required to result in rapid attenuation of vibrational disturbances. Please follow the instructions outlined in the user guide so that the isolators are neither overinflated nor underinflated.
Each isolator consists of a cylindrical reinforced rubber air mount in the top of a steel leg, as shown in the drawing to the right. The pressure of the isolator can be adjusted by admitting or releasing air through a standard Schrader valve on the side of each isolator.
The tables below list the frame suitable for each breadboard size. For breadboard sizes which do not have a stock or make to order passive frame, we offer two options. Thorlabs offers a larger size selection of rigid breadboard support frames, and a passive isolator upgrade kit to retrofit a rigid frame with passive isolators. Custom sizes may also be available upon request; please contact Tech Support with your requirements and for pricing.
Please see the Vibration Isolation Tutorial for more information the design of our products and the theory of vibration isolation and damping.
| Standard Passive Vibration Workstation | Heavy Duty Passive Vibration Workstation | |
|---|---|---|
| Recommended Weight | 50 to 570 lb (24 to 260 kg) | 300 to 1540 lb (135 to 700 kg) |
| Vertical Resonant Frequency | 3.5 Hz | |
| Vertical Transmissibility at Resonance | 24 dB | |
| Vertical Transmissibility at 10 Hz | -16 dB (85%) (0.15 Transmissibility Ratio) | |
| Height | 700 mm (27.5") or 800 mm (31.5") Option | |
| Height Adjustment Range | ±10 mm (0.4") | |
| Air Pressure | 496 kPa (72 psi) Maximum | |
| Air Connection | Schrader Valve | |
| Finish | Black Paint | |
Transmissibility Plot
A vibration isolation system is subjected to continuous vibrational impulses from the laboratory floor. These vibrations may be caused by large machinery within the building or even by wind- or traffic-excited building resonances (swaying). Transmissibility is a measure of the isolators efficiency at damping out these vibrations and is defined as the ratio of the amplitude of the transmitted vibration to that of the forcing vibration.
Selecting a Vibration System
Thorlabs offers three types of breadboard support systems: Active Isolation, Passive Isolation and a rigid support system.
The Active and the Passive isolation systems are both based on compressed air, providing vibration isolation in frequencies above 2Hz and 10Hz (respectively) making them ideal systems for demanding photonic experiments or for work in a noisy environment. In addition, Thorlabs also offers rigid support systems with no vibration isolation for less demanding applications which require only breadboard isolation. The table below compares the isolation performance of our different isolation systems.
| Active Vibration Isolators | Standard Passive Vibration Isolators | Heavy-Duty Passive Vibration Isolators | Rigid, Non-Isolating | Optics a la Cart Rigid Lab Cart | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical Resonant Frequency | <1.6 Hz | 3.5 Hz | 3.5 Hz | N/A | N/A |
| Horizontal Resonant Frequency | <1.2 Hz | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Vertical Transmissibility at Resonance | <13 dB | 24 dB | 24 dB | N/A | N/A |
| Horizontal Transmissibility at Resonance | <8 dB | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Vertical Transmissibility at 10Hz | -34 dB | -16 dB | -16 dB | N/A | N/A |
| Horizontal Transmissibility at 10Hz | -34 dB | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Isolation Type | Active | Passive | Passive | N/A | N/A |
| Damping Efficiency | Best | Good | Good | N/A | N/A |
| Height | 700 mm (27.5”) 800 mm (31.5”) | 700 mm (27.5”) 800 mm (31.5”) | 700 mm (27.5”) 800 mm (31.5”) | 700 mm (27.5”) 800 mm (31.5”) | 870 mm (34.3”) |
| Load capacity | 700 kg (1540 lb) | 24 to 260 kg (50 to 570 lb) | 135 to 700 kg (300 to 1540 lb) | 700 kg (1540 lb) | 320 kg (705 lb) |
| Mobility | Castors Available Separately | Castors Available Separately | Castors Available Separately | Castors Available Separately | Lockable Casters Included |
| Storage | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Bottom Shelf Optional Drawer |
Vibration Isolation
Vibration isolation is needed to isolate between noises originating around the workstation and breadboard surface. Such vibrations may result from machinery in the building such as elevators or compressors, pedestrians, building vibrations and nearby street traffic. The role of the vibration system is to dampen, both horizontally and vertically, the noises generated by the surrounding environment. Such noises are typically in the range of 10-100 Hz. the table below depicts common vibration sources:
| Types | Frequency (Hz) | Amplitude (inches) |
|---|---|---|
| Air Compressors | 4 – 20 | 10-2 |
| Handling Equipment | 5 – 40 | 10-3 |
| Pumpsa | 5 – 25 | 10-3 |
| Building Services | 7 – 40 | 10-4 |
| Foot Traffic | 0.5 – 6 | 10-5 |
| Acoustics | 100 – 10,000 | 10-2 to 10-4 |
| Punch Presses | Up to 20 | 10-2 to 10-5 |
| Transformers | 50 – 400 | 10-4 to 10-5 |
| Elevators | Up to 40 | 10-3 to 10-5 |
| Building Motion | 46/Height in meters | 10-1 |
| Building Pressure Waves | 1 – 5 | 10-5 |
| Railroad | 5 - 20 | ±0.15 g |
| Highway Traffic | 5 - 100 Hz | ±0.001 g |
| Posted Comments: | |
user
(posted 2019-09-04 10:14:58.38) Getting mixed messages from the instructions as to where the washer needs to be placed. Also a different rev of the instructions was shipped and shows the washer on top ;) rmiron
(posted 2019-09-09 09:33:24.0) Response from Radu at Thorlabs: Thank you for bringing this problem to our attention. Thanks to your feedback, we are currently checking the consistency of the instructions of all of our stocked PWA061 casters. We recommend that you place the washer on top considering that it is bolting to a relatively thin metallic plate and the washer helps with load distribution. Unfortunately, due to an internal admin error we shipped out casters with assembly instructions that state otherwise. jjurado
(posted 2011-07-08 14:24:00.0) Response from Javier at Thorlabs to bunagan: Thank you very much for contacting us. Our next catalog release will feature upgradeable frames that will allow changing from rigid supports to passive ones. We are also working on the design of active, self leveling isolators which would have the same footprint as that of the passive ones to allow for upgrading; however, we do not have a finished product, yet. Moreover, our frames feature a welded design in order to increase rigidity, so disassembling them is not possible. I will contact you directly for further support. bunagan
(posted 2011-07-07 15:35:13.0) If a passive isolation workstation is purchased, can pneumatic isolators be added later to upgrade the frame to active isolation?
Also, do the frames arrive assembled? Im looking at the 4x5, so some dis-assembly would be necessary to get it through the doorway to my space. jjurado
(posted 2011-05-17 15:14:00.0) Response from Javier at Thorlabs to last poster: Thank you very much for contacting us. There is not really a marked advantage of using a frame over using four individual legs. The main criterion for choosing one over the other, however, is the size of the table that you are looking to place on the isolators. We generally recommend using frames with our 2.4" and 4.3" thick tables and the legs for our 8.3" and 12.2" thick tables, since their structure is specifically built to withstand higher loads. Please contact us at techsupport@thorlabs.com if you have any further questions. user
(posted 2011-05-17 10:37:59.0) Hi, is there any advantage to use the frame over using four individual legs (both being passive)? Eg., accessory mounting options? Adam
(posted 2010-04-27 11:58:36.0) A response from Adam at Thorlabs to mhancak: We do not offer such a solution as a stock item, but can provide a custom size for your project. I will contact you directly with a quotation. mhancak
(posted 2010-04-27 10:20:38.0) Do you sell a passive isolation steel frame system with the following dimensions: 3.5 x 2 x 700mm? |
Zoom- 360° Swivel Allows Ease of Movement for Large Systems
- Highly Durable, Non-Marring Polyurethane Wheels
- Load Capacity: 200 kg (440 lbs) Each, 800 kg (1760 lbs) for a Set of Four
These casters are designed to permit easy relocation of the breadboard support frames, without removal of equipment or disassembly of the system. They are ideal for positioning the frames within tight spaces. Each caster rides on a non-marring wheel for smooth and quiet operation. Supplied as a set of four.
 Passive Isolation Frames |