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In addition to classical precision actuators (leadscrew & ballscrew designs) Warsash Scientific also provide a number of advanced piezo motor actuators.
Ultrasonic PILine® ceramic motors are also referred to as resonant motors, and NEXACT®/ NEXLINE® PiezoWalk® motors are also referred to as piezo step motors (not related to inertial motors). Both can, in principle, attain unlimited travel, yet they are very different in their design, specifications and performance. These long-travel devices are different in nature to the classical (shorter-travel) piezo stack, bender and flexure actuators.
PILine resonant motors are characterised by a simple design and high speed to 800mm/s.
NEXLINE & NEXACT stepping piezo motor actuators are more complex and can achieve much higher resolution, forces and dynamic performance (analogue mode).
A great advantage of piezo motors is their intrinsic steady-state auto-locking capability. It does away with servo dither and the accompanying heat generation, an undesirable feature of electromagnetic linear motors. Stepping and resonant (continuous) piezo motors are in principle nonmagnetic and vacuum-compatible, a requirement for many applications in the semiconductor optics and medical industry.
PI is the global leader in piezo nanopositioning and scanning systems. Warsash Scientific offer a wide variety of standard piezostage systems as well as custom tailored solutions from PI.
These piezo stage positioners and scanners with frictionless flexure guidance are decidedly superior to positioners with conventional guiding systems in terms of resolution, reproducibility, straightness and flatness.
A Piezoelectric translator (linear actuator) is a solid-state ceramic actuator which converts electrical energy directly into linear motion (mechanical energy) with virtually unlimited resolution.
Piezo actuators, available from Warsash Scientific, are designed to combine ultra-high performance with long lifetime in industrial and scientific applications. The piezo ceramic design provides the capability and flexibility to offer highly engineered custom sub-assemblies at a very attractive price.
These capacitive (capacitance) sensors are the metrology system of choice for the most demanding nanopositioning applications. They are absolute-measuring, high-dynamics devices. Capacitive sensors/control electronics use a high-frequency AC excitation signal for enhanced bandwidth and drift-free measurement stability (subnanometre stability over several hours).
They enable direct measurement of the moving platform and are especially well-suited for multi-axis measurements in parallel metrology configurations. Parallel metrology means that the controller monitors all controlled degrees of freedom relative to "ground", a prerequisite for active trajectory control.
Capacitive sensors also offer the highest linearity (accuracy).
PI is the leading manufacturer of Hexapod high-performance micro- and nanopositioning systems. These parallel-kinematics devices, in a number of different forms, are suitable for diverse applications, ranging from handling systems in electronics fabrication and tool control in precision machining, through medical technology, to optical systems like those found in space telescopes and satellite receiving antennas. Various models of the powerful parallel kinematic machines (PKM) can move masses of 50, 200 or even 1000 kilograms with micron accuracy as required in the irrespective applications.
PI is the leading manufacturer of Hexapod 6-axis micro- and nanopositioning systems. In addition to these parallel kinematics devices, Warsash Scientific offer a wide selection of innovative precision positioning systems such as miniature linear slides, precision rotary stages, hybrid ultra-precision positioning systems for science and industry.
Products range from ceramic linear motors to motorised actuators, translation stages, rotation stages and include systems with integrated controllers.
Warsash Scientific offer a large variety of innovative motion control solutions for precision micropositioning devices from linear motors to fast voice-coil-driven scanners and complex Hexapod 6-degree-of-freedom robots.
Included standard products range from compact, single-axis controllers for DC servomotors, ultrasonic linear motors and voice coil drives, to sophisticated control systems for parallel kinematic machines. Standard automation controllers handle up to 18 axes. Custom systems have been built capable of coordinating up to 273 axes.
Warsash Scientific provide a great variety of innovative solutions for photonics packaging and alignment automation. Products range from 6D micromotion robots for industrial automation, through high-speed power meters, ultra-fast piezoelectric scanning modules to modular devices with manual control for laboratory test setups.
Applications include automated angular alignment of collimated fibres or arrays, thin-film WDM