Methods and apparatuses for transporting a substrate plate efficiently, for positioning the substrate plate to enable to minimize mechanical motions and generation of vibration associated with conventional substrate positioning, and for holding the substrate. The interactive request server program receives client requests from the plurality of client computers over a network, and, in response to each client request, accesses the timing analysis program to retrieve timing data based upon such client request and thereafter forwards the timing data to the client computer making such request. A two-conductor power cable is attached to the lugs so that a separate conductor attaches to each of the lugs. The at least two branches form at least one cavity therebetween, the at least one cavity opens onto an outer surface of the rod, and the cavity includes a non-constant cross-section along the length of the rod.