The piezoelectric effect directly converts electrical energy into mechanical motion. PI uses this effect for high precision, solid-state based actuators, and grippers. Embedding a piezoceramic stack in a flexure-based arrangement can increase the motion range of the piezo actuator while providing protection, precision guidance, and a mounting interface at the same time. PI’s motion amplified piezo actuators are energy efficient and provide millisecond fast response and virtually unlimited positional resolution.
Compared to traditional piezo stack actuators, amplified piezo actuators provide extended motion ranges and can be easily integrated into OEM applications, such as precision instrumentation, grippers for micro-optics and medical devices, high speed valves, nano-dosing and pumping, fiber-optic alignment, nanopositioning, nano-dispensing, biotechnology, microfluidics, medical-devices, microscopy, and life-sciences.
At the heart of all PI motion-amplified piezo actuators is a PICMA® multilayer piezo ceramic element, of the same patented construction as the ones used on the Mars rover for their extreme reliability and lifetime beyond 100 billion cycles. PI’s patented, ceramic insulated multi-layer PICMA® piezoelectric actuators are also 100% vacuum compatible and can work in a wide temperature range.
Motion amplified piezo actuators with high-stiffness designs allow for high load capacity and insensitivity to shock and vibration. Integrated feedback sensors enable highly linear and repeatable motion or force control when operated with a PI’s closed-loop piezo-controllers.
Piezoelectric motion components are highly valued for their fast response times, capable of dynamic movements at frequencies reaching several kHz and delivering motion resolution down to the sub-nanometer level. Their operation is driven by molecular effects, with a solid-state design that eliminates traditional moving parts, bearings, or gears, making them maintenance-free. This advantage arises from the inverse piezoelectric effect in their crystalline structure, which operates without friction-inducing components. Additionally, piezo actuators are exceptionally energy-efficient, as they draw no power when idle, or holding a steady position.
