20
Reasons for Choosing TMC Optical Tops
Reasons 4 - 12
4. Additionally, to avoid excessive epoxy being squeezed into the plastic cups, imitative designs use only the thinnest layer of epoxy between the top skin and plastic layer. The thinness of this layer can produce “voids” when the top is bonded by trapping air, significantly weakening the bond. |
5. TMC employs a proprietary process to clean our machined skins to a level that is virtually “sterilized.” This ensures the cleanest threaded holes and superb epoxy bonding. Furthermore, the cleaning station is in an entranceway to a clean, finishing building so that the cleaned top never sees a heavy, industrial machining environment. In the CleanTop® design, no machining, grinding or sanding of any kind is performed subsequent to this cleaning process. | 6. TMC
top skins are stretcher-leveled, stress-relieved, and pressure-bonded
against a precision-lapped granite plate, without subsequent grinding—avoiding
heat and stress. The finished top is flat within ±0.005 in. (0.13
mm) within the normal hole pattern area, guaranteed. |
7. Top surfaces of TMC tops are lightly sanded with an orbital pattern to remove burrs and provide a non-glare, non-reflecting finish, without inducing internal stress.  TMC no-glare surface (above). Ground surface of competitive design creates reflection and glare (below).  |
8. Standard mounting holes in TMC tops are tapped, either 1/4–20 on 1 in. centers or M6 on 25 mm centers. Imperial 1/4-20 tapped holes on 1 in. staggered centers and metric M6 on 25mm staggered centers are available at a nominal additional fee. Custom patterns, including large through-holes for cables, etc., are easily accomplished with our multiple 2,000-watt laser machining centers. Click
here to read more about our new DoubleDensity ™ |
9. All
TMC mounting holes are in register with open cells in the honeycomb
core (a given with CleanTop® but not necessarily
with other designs). This assures that the core is not damaged
by subsequent drilling and tapping during manufacture, that the
structural integrity of the assembly is maintained, and that all
mounting screws can be inserted to full depth without obstruction. TMC registered holes (shown without CleanTop® cups.) (top)   Competitive non-registered holes (bottom). |
10. Every
hole in a TMC top is lead-screw-tapped, the most precise method
known, and there are no inserts. Inserts can loosen, and top
skins can be distorted when inserts are pressed into undersized
holes. |
11. TMC mounting holes are slightly countersunk to remove ridges and burrs. Every TMC mounting screw can be finger-tightened at first insertion – no wrench is needed. | 12. TMC’s
broadband dry damping approach is the only logical one for an
optical top. Others use "tuned" dampers which only work
on a discrete frequency. Structural resonances are not discrete
and therefore not eliminated but rather "split" into
two resonances by tuned dampers.
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See the next 8 reasons to choose a TMC Optical Top >>>
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