Testing assembly including a multiple degree of freedom stage

A method for orienting a sample within a chamber of a multi-instrument assembly using a multiple degree of freedom sample stage assembly, the method comprising:

• orienting a sample on a sample stage surface to a first orientation in the chamber coincident with two or more working regions of two or more instruments within the chamber including a deformation based mechanical testing instrument, the two or more working regions define a localized coincidence region within the chamber, and the sample in the first orientation is within the localized coincidence region, orienting includes one or more of:
• tilting a tilt stage coupled with the sample stage surface, or
• rotating a rotation stage coupled with the sample stage surface;
• reorienting the sample on the sample stage surface to a second orientation in the chamber coincident with two or more working regions of the two or more instruments, the second orientation is different from the first orientation, and the sample in the second orientation is within the localized coincidence region, reorienting includes one or more of tilting the tilt stage or rotating the rotation stage;
• and
• wherein the sample stage surface, one or more of the rotation or tilt stages and the deformation based mechanical testing instrument are coupled with a testing assembly platform coupled to a mounting stage of the multi-instrument assembly, and the mounted testing assembly platform is recessed from walls of the multi-instrument assembly.

A sample stage assembly of a testing assembly, the sample stage assembly comprising:

• a rotation stage;
• a tilt stage coupled with the rotation stage;
• a sample stage surface coupled with one of the rotation stage or the tilt stage;
• and
• wherein one or both of the rotation and tilt stages includes:
• a stage base,
• a stage platform coupled with the stage base, and
• at least one motor movably coupled with one of the stage base or the stage platform, the at least one motor is configured to move the stage platform relative to the stage base;
• wherein one or both of the rotation and tilt stages includes a clamping assembly, the clamping assembly comprising:
• a clamping surface extending along the stage platform, and
• at least one biasing element coupled with at least one of the motor and the clamping surface, wherein the at least one biasing element biases one or more of the motor and the clamping surface together, and the clamping surface and the motor clamp the stage platform therebetween;
• a deformation based mechanical testing instrument;
• and
• a testing assembly platform, the deformation based mechanical testing instrument, the rotation and tilt stages, and the sample stage surface are mounted on the testing assembly platform, and wherein the testing assembly platform is configured for actuation to orient each of the deformation based mechanical testing instrument, the rotation and tilt stages, and the sample stage surface relative to two or more instruments of a multi instrument assembly.

A multiple degree of freedom sample stage assembly configured for operation within the chamber of a multi-instrument assembly, the multiple degree of freedom sample stage assembly comprises:

• a sample stage surface;
• a plurality of linear stages coupled in series and coupled with the sample stage surface, each of the plurality of linear stages includes:
• a stage base,
• a stage platform movably coupled with the stage base, and
• an actuator coupled with at least one of the stage base or stage platform, and the actuator is configured to move the stage platform relative to the stage base along a linear axis;
• and
• at least two cross roller bearing assembly assemblies interposed between the stage base and the stage platform of at least one of the plurality of linear stages, wherein the at least two cross roller bearing assembly assemblies includes a plurality of cylindrical bearings in an alternating crossed configuration, and each of the plurality of cylindrical bearings includes a cylindrical bearing surface engaged between opposed planar interface surfaces on the stage platform and the stage base;
• and
• wherein the at least two cross roller bearing assemblies includes first and second cross roller bearing assemblies, and the actuator is positioned between the first and second cross roller bearing assemblies;
• the multiple degree of freedom sample stage assembly further comprising a deformation based mechanical testing instrument coupled with a testing assembly platform, the testing assembly platform coupled with at least one of the plurality of linear stages, and the testing assembly platform is configured for coupling with a mounting stage of the multi-instrument assembly.

A method for using a multiple degree of freedom sample stage comprising:

• actuating one or more linear stages of a plurality of linear stages coupled with a sample stage surface, the one or more linear stages each include a stage platform movably coupled with a stage base along respective linear axes, and actuating includes moving at least one stage platform relative to at least one stage base along the respective linear axis;
• actuating with an actuator the one or more linear stages includes aligning the sample stage surface with one or more instruments including a deformation based mechanical testing instrument;
• and
• constraining lateral translation and tilting of the stage platforms relative to the stage bases of the plurality of linear stages and relative to the linear axes with two cross roller bearing assemblies interposed between one or more of the stage platforms and the stage bases, wherein the cross roller bearing assemblies include a plurality of cylindrical bearings in an alternating crossed configuration, and the actuator is positioned between the two cross roller bearing assemblies.

A modular instrument assembly comprising:

• a stage including:
• a stage base,
• a stage mount movably coupled with the stage base, the stage mount includes a stage interface profile configured for coupling with one or more mechanical testing instruments, and
• one or more actuators coupled with the stage mount, the one or more actuators are configured to move the stage mount relative to the stage base;
• and
• at least one mechanical testing assembly configured for coupling with the stage, the at least one mechanical testing assembly including:
• a deformation based mechanical testing instrument coupled with the stage, and
• an instrument housing, wherein the instrument housing includes an instrument interface profile complementary to the stage interface profile, and the at least one mechanical testing assembly is removably coupled with the stage mount when the instrument interface profile is engaged with the stage interface profile.