Closed-Loop Motorized Linear Actuators - High Performance, High Precision, and High Speed Solutions
Direct Drive, Voice Coil, Ball Screw, Linear Motor and Piezo Motor Actuators for Precision Motion and Positioning
A large selection of high performance motorized linear actuators & stages for high precision motion control and positioning applications.
A precision linear actuator is a positioning device that provides motion in 1 degree of freedom. PI designs and manufactures a variety of precision actuators (pushers) including economical stepper-motor actuators, high-speed linear motor actuators for automation and nanometer precise piezo-motor actuators.
While there are many different types of precision actuators, piezoelectric actuators are the first choice when accuracy, speed, responsiveness, and resolution are essential. Long travel, motorized rodless actuators, often called linear stages, provide precision guidance and facilitate the mounting of objects.
See our latest direct-drive linear modules for industrial automation.
Precision Lead Screw Captive Actuators, Closed-Loop Servo and Stepper Motor-Driven
<0.1µm Resolution to 50mm Travel, ~1mm/sec

These classical captive motorized actuators are available as closed-loop models, with servo motors and for lower cost applications with stepper motors. Typically, they are based on combinations of a rotation-type motor and a screw-type actuator.
Lead-screws provide high forces and self locking capabilities, while ball screws are used for higher speed applications with longer service life. Position feedback is available with linear encoders and motor shaft mounted rotary encoders.
Smaller motors are often equipped with gear heads to provide higher torque and resolution, however at the cost of speed.
Actuators with built-in anti-rotation (non rotating tip) are easier to integrate and when used as pushers, do not generate torque or wear at the contact surface.

M-230 High Precision Actuator
Servo & Stepper Motors
- 10 and 25mm travel
- 0.05µm min. incremental motion
- 4nm sensor resolution
- 1.2 mm/sec max. velocity
- 70N push/pull force
- Nonrotating tip

M-232 Servo Motor Actuator
Compact, Servo & Stepper
- 17mm travel
- 0.1µm min. incremental motion
- 7nm sensor resolution
- 1.5 mm/sec max. velocity
- 40N push/pull force

M-227 High Precision Actuator
Servo & Stepper Motors
- 10, 25, 50mm travel
- 0.05µm min. incremental motion
- 4nm sensor resolution
- 0.75mm/sec max. velocity
- 40N push/pull force
- Nonrotating tip
- Requires external limit switches
Low Cost Stepper Motor Captive Actuators, Lead Screw Drive
To 25mm Travel, 1µm Resolution, to 5mm/sec

M-228/9 Low Cost Linear Actuators
Gear & Direct Drive, Stepper
- 10 and 25mm travel
- 1µm min. incremental motion
- 1.5 and 5mm/sec max. velocity
- 20/50/80N push/pull force
Closed-Loop Servo & Stepper Motor Options
To 0.1µm Resolution, Low Friction, To 50mm/sec, Forces to 400N

Recirculating ball screws (RBS) provide lower friction and higher velocity than lead screws by replacing sliding friction with rolling friction. Lower friction also means less heat generation when operated at high duty cycles and high velocities. On the other hand, reduced friction also means lower holding forces when powered off.
Motorized actuators with built-in anti-rotation (non rotating tip) are easier to integrate and when used as pushers, do not generate torque or wear at the contact surface.

L-220 High Precision Actuators
Servo & Stepper Motors
- 13/26/52/77mm travel
- 0.1µm min. incremental motion
- 20nm sensor resolution
- 3.5mm/sec max. velocity
- 125N push/pull force
- Nonrotating tip

M-235 High Precision Actuators
Servo & Stepper Motors
- 20/50mm travel
- 0.1 & 0.5µm min. inc. motion
- 16 & 500nm sensor resolution
- 2.6 & 30mm/sec max. velocity
- 120 & 50N push/pull force
- Nonrotating tip

L-239 High Precision Actuators
Servo & Stepper Motors
- 52mm travel
- 0.2 & 0.1µm min. inc. motion
- 50nm sensor resolution
- 50 & 25mm/sec max. velocity
- 300N push/pull force
- Nonrotating tip

M-238 High Precision Actuators
Servo Motor / Linear Encoder
- 50mm travel
- 0.1µm min. inc. motion
- 0.1µm linear encoder
- 30mm/sec max. velocity
- 400N push/pull force
- Nonrotating tip
Fast Voice Coil Actuators with Mechanical Bearings
Velocity to 750mm/sec, to 20mm Travel, to 20N Force
Voice Coil Actuators are based on a single-phase electromagnetic linear motor similar to the driver of a loud-speaker. They provide high velocity with zero wear and motion ranges typically up to 1 inch. The V-273/5/7 high-speed, closed loop actuator family shown below come with a force sensor option, useful in applications such as switch testing or touch surface sensitivity analysis. The C-413 closed-loop controller allows on-the-fly switching between force and position mode.

V-273 Voice Coil Actuator
Force Sensor Option
- 20mm travel
- 10nm linear encoder resolution
- 100mm/sec max. velocity
- 6N push/pull force
- 1mN force sensor option

V-275 Voice Coil Actuator
High-Speed, Force Sensor Option
- 10mm travel
- 10nm linear encoder resolution
- 600mm/sec max. velocity
- 15N push/pull force
- 1mN force sensor option

V-277 Voice Coil Actuator
High-Speed, Force Sensor Option
- 15mm travel
- 10nm linear encoder resolution
- 750mm/sec max. velocity
- 20N push/pull force
- 1mN force sensor option

V-308 Fast Nano Focus
Voice Coil Scanner, 7mm
- 7mm motion
- Voice coil linear motor
- Adjustable Z-counterbalance
- Millisecond settling time
- 1nm sensor resolution
Fast Closed-Loop Voice Coil Actuators with Frictionless Air Bearings / Flexures
Zero Wear, Velocity to 1000mm/sec, to 25mm Travel, to 70N Force
These voice coil actuators uses frictionless bearings – either flexures for short travel, or air bearings for extremely straight guiding. Both drive and guiding systems are wear free and clean room compatible.

A-131 Voice Coil Positioner
For Fast Scanning/Autofocus
- 1” travel
- Optional bellows
- 1nm resolution
- 8g max. acceleration

V-900KPIC Mini Vertical Actuator
Zero-Wear Flexures
- 1.5mm travel
- 100nm linear encoder resolution
- Frictionless, zero-wear flexures
- Very compact: 32x44x14mm
PI currently offers several types of long travel piezo linear motors and several types of short travel actuators such as flexure actuators, stack actuators, and bender actuators. The drive principle in piezo ceramic motors / actuators is intrinsically nonmagnetic and vacuum-compatible.
Piezo Motor Actuators
Stick-Slip Ratchet Type Piezo Motor Actuators (Screw Drives) are often used for set & forget type adjustments, replacing manual micrometers. They provide high resolution and holding forces, but low speed typically on the order of a few mm/minute.
Stick-Slip Direct-Drive Piezo Motor Actuators (Mini-Rod Drives) are compact ceramic linear motors with forces to 10N and speed to 10 mm/sec.
PiezoWalk® Linear Motors achieve holding forces to 800N and picometer range resolution; however they are more complex and typically used in high-end applications.
For more information on the differences between piezo motors and actuators and their applications, refer to the piezo motion tutorial.
Ultrasonic Piezo Motors are characterized by very high speed of 100's of mm/sec and a very compact design.
Information on vacuum compatible motorized actuators can be found here.
Compact, Low Cost Piezo Ratchet Motor Actuators (Micrometer Replacement)
Set & Forget Applications, to 20nm Steps, to 22N Force

N-472 Closed-Loop PiezoMike
Piezo Ratchet Drive
- <1nm encoder resolution
- ¼” and 1/2” (13mm) motion range
- Self-clamping: Holding force >100N
- Pushing force 22N
- Variety of mounting options

N-470 PiezoMike Micrometer
Piezo Ratchet Drive
- ¼” to 1” (26mm) motion range
- Self-clamping: Holding force >100N
- Pushing force 22N
- 30 nanometer step size
- Variety of mounting options

N-470.V/U Vacuum PiezoMike
Piezo Ratchet Drive
- ¼” to 1” (26mm) motion range
- Self-clamping: Holding force >100N
- Pushing force 22N
- 20 nanometer step Size
- Variety of mounting options

Application Example:
N-480 kinematic mirror mount with N-470 actuators
These actuators require some kind external position feedback – the inertia motors provide high resolution, but w/o an internal sensor exact position information is not provided. Unlike conventional stepper motors, the step size in piezo inetia motors is not equidistant.
Captive and Non-captive Versions
The N-422 is a non-captive design with the shaft running through the motor, providing longer travel. The N-412 is a captive design.

N-422 OEM Piezo Motor Actuator
Direct Drive Piezo Inertia Motor
- 35mm travel
- 0.3µm step size
- 5mm/sec max. velocity
- 7N push/pull force
- 10N holding force

N-412 Piezo Motor Actuator
Direct Drive Piezo Inertia Motor
- 13mm travel
- 0.3µm step size
- 5mm/sec max. velocity
- 7N push/pull force
- 10N holding force

Application Example: N-412 actuators on a kinematic mirror mount
The operating principle of a PiezoWalk® linear motor is similar to the principle of biological walking. Motion is generated through a succession of coordinated lift/forward/drop cycles of two or more “legs”. Each cycle can be controlled to provide steps from a few picometers to a few microns of linear motion. With repetition rates of up to 100’s of steps per second, continuous motion up to 15mm/sec can be achieved. These drives are preloaded, self-clamping and achieve exceptional life times. PI offers open-loop and closed-loop PiezoWalk motor actuators.

N-381 PiezoWalk® Linear Actuator
Manipulator, Piezo Stepper
- 30mm travel
- 0.03nm open loop resolution
- 10mm/sec max. velocity
- 10N push/pull force
- 20nm encoder integrated

N-331 V8 PiezoWalk® Actuator
V8 Drive: Higher Force & Speed
- 25 to 100mm travel
- 0.02nm open loop resolution
- 15mm/sec max. velocity
- 50N push/pull force
- 5nm encoder integrated

N-310 PiezoWalk® Linear Actuator
Miniature OEM Actuator
- 31010 to 125mm travel
- 0.03nm open loop resolution
- 10mm/sec max. velocity
- 10N push/pull force
- Use w/external position feedback

N-111 PiezoWalk® Linear Actuator
Medium Force, Encoder Option
- 10mm travel
- 0.03nm open loop resolution
- 1mm/sec max. velocity
- 50N push/pull force
- 5nm encoder integrated

N-216 PiezoWalk® Linear Actuator
High Force, Encoder Option
- 20mm travel
- 0.03nm open loop resolution
- 1mm/sec max. velocity
- 600N push/pull force
- 5nm encoder integrated

Animation: V8 Piezo Motor with Nanometer Precision
"Honey, I shrunk the V8 Engine!"
PI's PICMA-Walk V8 Piezo Linear Motor - Power, Reliable, Precise
Ultra-High Resolution / Speed Amplified Piezo Actuators
For Fast Step & Settle or Dynamic Scanning Applications, Sub-nm Resolution, up to 1mm Travel

P-604 Low-Cost, Piezo Flexure Actuator
300µm Motion, Flexure Guided
- 300µm travel
- Cost-optimized for large quantities
- Lightweight construction, only 4 grams
- Flexure guided = Frictionless & straight motion
- Small footprint of 13x20mm
- PICMA® long-life piezo actuator
- For OEM instrumentation

P-601 Piezo Flexure Actuator
Closed-Loop Option
- 100, 250 and 400µm travel
- Position sensor option for closed-loop operation
- Flexure guided = Frictionless & straight motion
- High dynamics and stiffness
- PICMA® long-life piezo actuator

P-602 Piezo Flexure Actuator
Motion to 1mm, High Force
- Up to 1mm travel
- Position sensor option for closed-loop operation
- Flexure guided = Frictionless & straight motion
- To 400N force, high stiffness & dynamics
- PICMA® long-life piezo actuator

P-603 Piezo Flexure Actuator
Motion to 500µm
- 100, 300 and 500µm travel
- Position sensor option for closed-loop operation
- Compact, cost-effective design
- Flexure guided = Frictionless & straight motion
- High dynamics and stiffness
- PICMA® long-life piezo actuator

P-853 Piezo-Micrometer
Piezo Flexure + Micrometer
- Sub-nanometer resolution
- 18mm manual / 25µm fine motion
- Combines piezo-flexure-class fine
- Travel with manual micrometer
- Dynamic operation to 10 Hz
Ultra-High Resolution Closed-Loop Piezo Stack Actuators (Short Travel 15 to 180µm)
Forces to 30kN+, Sub-millisec Response, Sub-nm Resolution
These closed-loop actuators provide high forces, high stiffness, and very fast response in the sub-millisecond range, with displacement typically in the 100µm range.
Applications: Biotechnology, nano-dispensing, microfluidics, valve control, fast switching and nanopositioning, optics, medical-devices, life-sciences

Piezo Stack Actuators
- Very high force & stiffness
- Sub-millisec response
- Many different designs
- Sub-nanometer resolution
- Learn more….

High performance precision linear actuators can be customized for force, speed, resolution and travel length to suit varying applications - like adjusting 798 quarter ton segments in the primary mirror of the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) with nanometer accuracy in the extreme environment of the Chilean Atacama Desert, with a hybrid actuator design. More information