The stainless steel belts are said to provide smooth operation, which eliminates vibration associated with other types of belts, wires or chains, resulting in precise motion control. Stainless steel belts are also non-stretchable and have a high modulus of elasticity, which is also ideal for the precision positioning required for wafer handling. The belts are said to have a pitch accuracy of up to 0.013mm.
Stainless steel belts do not require lubricants, as they are a single continuous element, unlike the links of a chain. Therefore they do not generate airborne particulate through friction and will not introduce foreign substances meaning they can be used in clean room environments. Belt Technologies' stainless steel belts are recognised as Class100 clean room compatible.
Stainless steel belts also provide better plotting accuracy for carriage positioning systems, robotic drives and zero-backlash drives as they possess high strength-to-weight ratio.