Dither is one of several terms used to describe small, rapid, back-and-forth movements of an object. Depending on the context, when the term “dither” is used in motion control systems, it can refer to purposeful, commanded movements or to unintended, unwanted motion. In some motion systems, dither is purposely induced to reduce the effects of […]
Piezo Motors Archive
Get the latest product news, technical info, and FAQs about peizo motors.
Piezo motor for nano-metrology applications with nanometer precision
PI’s line of lens positioners, designed to scan and position objectives with sub-nanometer resolution at high bandwidth, is expanding with a new generation of piezo Z-focus stages – the P-725 PIFOC piezo flexure stage product family. Available in 3 travel ranges of 100, 400, and 800µm, high performance fast focusing with nanometer precision is achieved […]
New Physik Instrumente reference on precision motion control and positioning systems for electronics manufacturing
PI’s new brochure gives an insight on advances in standard and custom motion systems designed to satisfy the needs of industrial test, inspection, and manufacturing engineers in the electronics and semiconductor industry. With decades of experience in the semiconductor market, the technological diversity and the high vertical range of manufacturing enables PI (Physik Instrumente) to […]
How does stiffness affect piezo output force and displacement?
Piezo actuators operate on the inverse piezoelectric effect: when voltage is applied, the actuator contracts or expands. But when the actuator is blocked from moving (by a load applied in the direction of travel), it generates a force. This relationship between displacement and force in piezo materials is an inverse relationship. In other words, the […]
PI expands digital piezo nanopositioning controller family
PI (Physik Instrumente) has expanded its E-709 family of low-cost digital piezo nanopositioning controllers with a new plug-in module for the C-885 PIMotionMaster modular controller system. The PIMotionMaster system allows the combination of different drive technologies, controlled through one interface via one software package. For example, stepper motor stages, closed-loop servo motor positioners, and fast […]
What kind of feedback do piezo motors use?
Piezo motors are known for their extremely small size and high size-to-torque ratio, as well as high-resolution movements (micrometer and even nanometer-level resolution.) The high resolution is attributable to the inherent design of piezo motors themselves, but feedback also helps to ensure highly accurate movement on the order of nanometers. As a general rule, piezo […]
Can piezo motors and electric motors be combined?
Piezo motors and electric motors are employed for very different uses. Piezo motors provide a high power-to-size ratio for very small movements – typically a few millimeters or less. They also have very fast response times and are self-locking, meaning they can hold a load in position during a power-off condition. Electric motors, on the […]
Do piezo motors need specialty PID loops or controls?
The simple answer is, not necessarily. Not every piezo motor requires a PID control loop. However, most piezo motors operate closed-loop with some type of feedback, and PID control is only one possibility, but it is common and effective in controlling piezo motors. Some piezo motor applications can and do run open loop, although piezo […]
New catalog on piezo-mechanic nanopositioning motion systems
Motion and nano precision positioning systems manufacturer PI (Physik Instrumente) has released a new 250-page catalog on precision mechatronic actuators and nanopositioning systems based on piezo drive technology and frictionless flexure guiding systems. Products covered in this catalog use PI’s in-house designed and manufactured Mars Rover-tested piezo ceramic actuators as their drive principle. A special […]
Three piezo motor designs for rotary motion
One of the best technologies for achieving extremely small, precise movements is the piezo motor. Based on the piezo actuator – layers or stacks of piezo elements that produce motion through the reverse piezoelectric effect – the piezo motor incorporates mechanical elements to produce strokes of several hundred millimeters or more. And while most piezo motors […]
