Piezo Motors, Linear Motor Positioners & Rotary Piezo Motor Stages

PI manufactures electromagnetic linear motors and several types of piezoelectric linear motors.

Piezo Motors are intrinsically vacuum compatible, non-magnetic and self locking at rest, providing long travel compared to traditional piezo mechanisms. The individual drive concepts are optimized for different applications, they differ in their design, size, cost, force & speed and other performance parameters.

Piezo Inertia motors (stick-slip) are low-cost compact motors with forces to 10N and speed to 10 mm/sec.

Ultrasonic resonant motors (PILine®) are characterized by very high speed to 100’s of mm/sec and a very compact design.

Choose from a Product Group below

Linear Piezo Motors / Actuators for Integration

Linear Piezo Motor Stages

XY Linear Piezo Motor Stages

Rotary Piezo Motors: Direct Drive, Self Locking At Rest

Tip/Tilt Piezo Motor Stages

6-Axis Piezo Stages

PiezoWalk® linear motors can achieve high forces and picometer range resolution,  but are more complex and slower.

Piezo flexure mechanisms provide short travel, high forces & sub-nm resolution.

Electro-magnetic linear motors and air bearing stages are also available from PI.

Understanding the principles helps selecting the best type for an application. For background information refer to the piezo motion tutorial or ask a PI applications engineer for help.

Piezo Motion TECH BLOG

When to use Piezo Motors over Traditional Motors?

There are several types of piezo motors, each with distinctive performance features (watch the video at the top of the page for operating principle) and use cases. All piezoceramic motors offer several certain advantages over traditional motors, including:

  1. High Precision: Piezo-Walk motors provide extremely precise positioning and motion control, with sub-nanometer resolution and high repeatability. They excel in applications that require high forces and nanometer-level or even higher resolution.
  2. Fast Response: Piezo motors can provide exceptional response times, allowing for rapid acceleration, deceleration and step & settle. Ultrasonic motors can achieve high velocities, enabling dynamic and high-speed motion.
  3. Direct Drive: Piezo motors are direct drive mechanisms, eliminating the need for gears, belts, or other mechanical power conversion components. This results in reduced friction, backlash, and improved precision and reliability.
  4. Non-Magnetic and Vacuum Compatibility: Piezo motors are non-magnetic and do not generate magnetic fields during operation, making them suitable for applications where magnetic interference is a concern.
  5. Compact and Lightweight: Piezo motors can be designed to be more compact and lightweight compared to traditional motors, making them well-suited for applications with limited space or weight restrictions. Their small size and low mass also contribute to their high dynamic performance.
  6. Self-clamping: Due to the design principle, piezo motors are self-clamping at rest, without the need for a brake mechanism, a decisive advantage in applications that require very stable positioning without servo jitter.

These advantages make these ceramic motors a great choice in various fields, including microscopy, nanotechnology, semiconductor manufacturing, optics, and biomedical applications.

For ultra-precise, short travel and high-speed scanning operation, piezo flexure stages and mechanisms are recommended.

Related Products and Additional Resources