Development of a Low-stiffness and High-dynamic Micro–Nano Probe Utilizing the Eddy Current Damper

Micro–nano probes are crucial components of micro/nano coordinate measuring machines. Most probes rely on low-stiffness elastic mechanisms, resulting in prolonged settling times and large dynamic errors. A micro–nano probe with low stiffness and high dynamic performance based on an eddy current damper (ECD) was developed to address these issues. The probe’s dynamic performance optimization was achieved through comprehensive static and dynamic analyses. The design and optimization of the ECD were carried out through theoretical modeling and simulation analysis. Experimental results indicate that the stiffness of the optimized probe remains almost unchanged, with an average horizontal stiffness of 0.711 mN/μm and a vertical stiffness of 0.258 mN/μm. The settling time is reduced by approximately 90% to less than 1.0 s. The proposed probe, characterized by its low stiffness and high dynamic performance, meets the high-precision and high-efficiency measurement requirements for micro components.