PIShift drives are compact and cost-efficient piezo linear drives from PI (Physik Instrumente), the Karlsruhe specialist for positioning systems. The drives use the stick-slip effect and, due to the high operating frequency of more than 20 kHz, they are noiseless.
The load is coupled to the moving rod. Typical applications of drives operating with this principle are the adjustment of optical and opto-mechanical components, cell manipulation as well as industrial applications such as the positioning of soldering tips during the manufacturing of electronic components.
The functional principle is simple and allows low system costs. It is based on a single piezoelectrical actuator which is controlled by a modified saw-tooth voltage with an amplitude below 50 V. The actuator expands slowly and takes along a rod. For reasons of inertia, the rod cannot follow the fast contraction of the actuator and remains in its position. When at rest, the drive is self-locking to 10 N and therefore requires no current and generates no heat. Compared to other inertia drives, the PIShift drive thus achieves especially high forces. For easy integration, the drive component is either mounted on an even surface or screwed in on the front side. PIShift complements the range of piezomotor technologies offered by PI. In addition to fast ultrasonic piezo motors and powerful piezo stepping drives with high resolution, PIShift drives are now available for cost-sensitive applications that require medium levels of accuracy.
This driving principle provides the basis for the new LPS 45 stage series from PI miCos. The LPS 45 stage is compact: It is 45 mm wide and only 15 mm high. The travel ranges are from 13 to 26 mm. In a small package, the compact LPS 45 features precision components such as a crossed roller guide with a cage assistant system as well as a linear encoder with a resolution from 20 nm to 5 nm, ensuring ultrastraight motion and high positioning accuracy. In the future, the stage will also be available for applications in vacuum or non-magnetic environments.
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