Linear Motor Actuator for Automation, Voice Coil Drive-V-273 from PI

PI has introduced a new linear actuator, which makes use of a voice coil linear motor to provide rapid and high-precision motion. This motor provides very high accelerations and can be used instead of the typical motor-lead screw combinations.

Key Features

The salient features of the ceramic linear motor V-273 are:

Travel ranges to 20 mm

Velocity to 100 mm/s

Integrated linear encoder, 0.01 µm resolution

Optional force sensor with 1 mN resolution

Voice coil drives consist of 2 essential components: A permanent magnet and a coil, which is located in the air gap of the magnetic field. When current flows through the coil, it moves in the magnetic field of the permanent magnet. The direction of motion depends on the polarity. Thanks to their low weight and friction-free drive principle, voice coil drives are particularly suitable for applications, which require high dynamics and high velocities at limited travel ranges. High scan frequencies and precision positioning are also possible with these drives, because they are free of the effects of hysteresis.

Highly accurate position measuring with incremental linear encoder

Noncontact optical linear encoders measure the actual position directly at the motion platform with the greatest accuracy so that nonlinearity, mechanical play or elastic deformation have no influence on position measuring.

Fields of Application

OEM drives in automation. For fast handling tasks and precision positioning in the micrometer range, micromanipulation. Testing of force-sensitive switches and surfaces.