This topic was originally started in another forum but I have a feeling people here are more knowledgeable and can help find a solution.
Need to automate the X,Y movement of a lens parallel to another lens.
Need 1024 steps if using a stepper motor.
Travel distance is 7.5 mm in both axis.
Needs speed that will allow to go from one edge to the next in 1/3 seconds
As others pointed out,
1024 steps to move 7.5 mm = 136.5333 steps per mm.
1024 steps in 333 ms = 3072 steps/sec
Moving that distance in 333 ms means 22.5 mm/sec movement speed.
For comparison a CD disc has 625 lines per mm, so it is only logical to assume the motors and controllers mass produced for CD drives exceed my requirement of 136.5333 steps per mm, right? Not to mention DVD or BD disc drives will be even more precise.
So the idea came to my mind to use a screw drive motor for CD drives and good stepper drivers which became very affordable thanks to popularity of Arduino and desktop 3d printers.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/301740290708?ul_noapp=true
Not sure if the speed requirements can be met (3072 steps/sec, 22.5 mm/sec movement). I know the laser module inside a disc drive can jump from one point to the next pretty fast but I don?t know if just that jump is enough to get to the exact required line.
What do you think? Could it work?
Other options might be motors used for camera lens focusing and zooming.
I also found some OEM suppliers of screw drive motors but they never seem to mention exact use cases.
https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale...ew+Rod+Stepper
https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...636137e3vNHKfx
https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...636137e3vNHKfx
https://ru.aliexpress.com/item/Micro...ceBeautifyAB=0
Someone suggested an alternative option of taking a XY Axis Stage and adding pulleys and motors to it but why reinvent the wheel if it can be achieved by off the shelf parts and less expensive.