Catalog Downloads

This catalog takes the tedium out of selecting the best drive technology for each application for the microscope designer and researcher. The products address today's technological requirements for positioning of optics or samples with resolution in the sub-nanometer range and the critical need for improving the quality of images taken with a variety of techniques including fluorescent, widefield or laser scanning microscopy, SEM, FIB-SEM, TEM, AFM, and correlative microscopy.  

Download | Nanopositioning for Microscopy

This brochure contains examples of high-performance systems for different productions steps, including piezo based nanopositioning systems, air bearings, beam steering sytems, XY and XYZ gantry systems and granite-based multi-axis stages, parallel-kinematic hexapods, fast photonics alignment systems for silicon photonics, and high-end industrial motion controllers with Ethercat^® connectivity.  

Download | Motion Systems for Electronics Manufacturing

High precision measuring is necessary for qualification as well as for final inspection and approval checks of all PI motion and positioning systems. Both the selection of the measuring environment and setup of the measuring equipment are adapted to the requirements of the respective product line. The desired resolution, measuring accuracy, tolerances, and sampling rate are the criteria used when testing.

Download | Test & Metrology at PI

ACS high precision motion control systems provide advanced features for autotuning, fast step & settle, and path control. Based on EtherCat®, these high performance controllers and software tools can integrate and manage peripherals such as scanners, cameras, and lasers in high throughput industrial automation applications such as laser processing and muluti-axis metrology systems.

Download | Optimize Gantry Performance with ACS

Hexapods (Gough-Stewart Platforms) are highly versatile 6-axis robotic positioning and motion platforms often used for complex multi-axis alignment tasks in optics, precision assembly, and medical applications.  With three decades of Hexapod design and manufacturing experience, PI electro-mechanical hexapods and piezo hexapod positioners are the most advanced multi-axis precision positioning systems in the world, providing significantly higher precision than hydraulically driven systems. They are available in many sizes, and configurations for loads from 2 kg to more than 2000 kg, and most are self-locking. 

>> Online Hexapod Overview

Download | Hexapod 6-DOF Motion Systems

Piezo Motors - unlike traditional electrodynamic motors - are intrinsically self-locking, non-magnetic and do not react to magnetic fields. The piezo ceramic base material is vacuum compatible.  Compared to traditional piezo actuators, piezo motors are not limited to short motion ranges.  PI manufactures a large variety of linear and rotary positioning solutions based on a number of different piezo motor concepts - each type optimized for certain applications.  The various piezo motor concepts differ in size, force, speed, cost  and other performance parameters. 

A PI application engineer  will be happy to help you select the right piezo motor for your precision motion project. 
For background information on piezo motors and actuators refer to the piezo motion tutorial.

>> Online Piezo Motor Linear Stages

>> Online Piezo Motor Rotary Stages

Download | Precision Positioning with Piezo Motors

Cutting, marking, micromachining, drilling or metal deposition require speed and accuracy. Sub-systems for positioning and motion control of laser processing are included in this catalog. 

Download | Automation Platforms for Laser Processing

Precision linear and rotary nanopositioning systems engineered and manufactured for industrial manufacturing, semiconductor production/inspection, silicon photonics (SiP) packaging, laser material processing, automated optical inspection (AOI), and scientific instrumentation are included in this comprehensive catalog.

Download | Motion Systems for Industrial Automation

This catalog shows all available standard products that use piezo actuators as their drive principle, ranging from simple, housed piezo actuators, with or without preload, to lever-amplified piezo actuators, or 6-axes-scanners with subnanometer precision position sensors. OEM drives with PiezoWalk^®technology and capacitive position sensors supplement the portfolio, as well as custom solutions for specific markets. 

DOWNLOAD | POSITIONING WITH PIEZO SYSTEMS

PI's alignment systems, which includes an R&D Top 100 Award winner, are the innovative solution for photonic and fiber applications that require nanoscale accuracy, split second responsiveness, real-time tracking, and ultra-fast optimization.

Gantry positioning systems are often used in high precision industrial automation processes. PI provides standard and custom designed gantries and engineered automation sub-systems for all high tech industries. Our vast portfolio of precision motion technologies allows our engineers to use the best approach for each individual application. This in-depth knowledge can save you time by developing a complete solution system for your application.

PI's micro-positioning components and systems are engineered for the necessary precision positioning of medium loads used in industry and research. The products high-lighted in this catalog are developed to move loads of 10kg to 50kg (22lb to 110lb) over distances up to 300mm. Rotation stages provide rotation angles of 360 degrees.

Engineered systems have always been a core business for PI, with creative-thinking engineers that have vast experience selecting the right technology for each individual application. This in-depth knowledge can save you time by developing a complete solution system for your application.

LASER World of PHOTONICS, held in Munich, Germany, is the world’s largest conference and trade show for photonics, lasers, and precision optics. At LASER this year, PI presented new innovative products, including photonics alignment engines, linear motors, air bearings, nanopositioning stages, hexapods, and high performance motion controllers.

Industry and OEMs benefit from PI’s many years of design and manufacturing experience of piezoelectric transducers, components, and value added assemblies including rapid prototyping, precision machining techniques, small quantity batch and automated large batch production.

Research and industrial applications in vacuum and ultra-high vacuum environments are growing in importance due to the increasing number of applications that can only be applied in vacuum or cryogenic environments.

Based on technology developed and manufactured in-house by PI, PIMag® Magnetic Direct Drives deliver optimum performance via nanometer precision positioning and force regulation in actuators, linear stages, multi-axis gantry systems, and customized systems.

Easily integrated into other components, PI's ultrasonic motors, stages, and positioners includes compact, high speed, or cost effective customized OEM designs.

PI offers more than 200 models of miniature translation and rotation stages representing varying sizes and motion ranges with different drive concepts, including servo/stepper, piezo ultrasonic/inertia, linear, voice coil, air bearings, crossed rollers, and piezo flexures.

Laser World of Photonics, held in Munich, Germany, is the world’s largest conference and trade show for photonics, lasers, and precision optics. At Laser this year, PI presented a large number of new products, including linear motors, air bearings, nanopositioning stages, and hexapods.

PI offers the broadest and deepest portfolio of precision motion technologies, from micro to nano, for photonics, bio-nanotechnology, medical device & semiconductor applications, including linear stages, air bearing stages, microscope stages, motor controllers, piezo flexure stages, piezo nanopositioning systems, piezo ceramic motors, and hexapod 6-axis stages.

PIglide air bearing technology provides linear stage nanometer precision, multi-axis motion, in standard and custom designs, ideally suited for many high precision applications, such as metrology, photonics alignment, semiconductor, flat panel display, and precision scanning applications. The non-contact design also makes these stages ideal for cleanroom applications. Stages are available in single axis and XY configurations with planar designs for the highest multi-axis straightness / flatness. Closed loop operation with linear encoders or laser interferometers allows for nanometer resolution with very high linearity and repeatability.

The PiezoMike family of miniature actuators simply automate adjustment applications based on a screw and ratchet mechanism, where a small piezo ceramic block performs the individual "clicks" based on the input to a controller. More than a billion steps lifetime, self-locking, requiring no holding current, and generating no heat at rest, PiezoMike actuators can be easily modified or completely customized to meet specific application requirements.

The PI Beamline Instrumentation Group offers sophisticated precision motion and positioning equipment for high-end scientific research in synchrotron and accelerator research facilities. Select from a wide range of high-performance single- and multi-axis positioning products, classical or non-magnetic, UHV or EUV compatible, or request your own dedicated system.

• Piezo Nanopositioning Stages
• Piezo Tip/Tilt Stages
• Piezo Motors
• Piezo Actuators
• Motorized Linear & Rotation Stages
• Air Bearing Stages
• Ultra-Precision Rotation Stages
• Parallel Kinematics
• Hexapod and SpaceFAB 6-Axis Positioners
• Hybrid Positioners

• Motors and Drives
• Stepper Motors
• Servo Motors
• Piezo Motors
• Drive Train Elements
• Guidings and Bearings
• Vacuum Preparation
• Parallel vs Serial Kinematics
• MagLev and Hybrid Positioners
• Glossary

• Linear Vacuum Positioners
• Rotary Vacuum Stages
• Vacuum Goniometers
• Vacuum Hexapods and SpaceFAB (6 Axis)
• Vacuum Piezo Positioners