Compare · Motion Platforms
3 DOF vs 6 DOF motion platform
Six axes cost roughly twice the hardware of three. This comparison shows which cues you lose with three, which applications never miss them, and when six is non-negotiable.
| Factor | 3 DOF platform | 6 DOF platform |
|---|---|---|
| Motion | X/Y/Z translation or roll/pitch/yaw rotation (one set of three) | All six: surge, sway, heave + roll, pitch, yaw, simultaneously |
| Reference products | 3 DOF motion platform | YT-6DOF / Pro |
| Load (this line) | 200–300 kg electric; <=100 kg electromagnetic | 800 kg standard; 2,000 kg Pro; customisable 200 kg–5 t |
| Accuracy | +/-0.1 mm translation, +/-0.05 deg rotation, <10 ms delay | +/-0.02 mm (Pro +/-0.008 mm) repeatability |
| Hardware cost | Published at 50%+ below a six-DOF system | Roughly double the 3-DOF hardware, plus control |
| Typical winners | Drone testing, vehicle-mounted equipment verification, compact simulators, single-cue rigs | Flight/driving simulators, flying theaters, full-cue training and research |
The cue question
Degrees of freedom are not a quality score; they are a list of directions your payload can be moved in. A drone test rig needs heave, pitch and roll. A flight simulator needs all six, because a banked turn is a coordinated lie told in every axis at once — the Stewart platform guide shows why six actuators are the price of that lie. Count the cues your application actually produces before you count axes.
The growth question
The one-way door in this decision is upgradability: a 3-DOF base cannot grow axes later. If there is any credible roadmap from equipment testing to full simulation, price the six-axis base now. If the task is stable and three-axis for life — most test rigs are — the 3 DOF platform keeps the same accuracy class at half the hardware cost and lower maintenance. The middle option in this line is the 6 DOF rotational platform when rotation leads and payload is moderate.
None
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