Physik Instrumente (www.physikinstrumente.com) has announced the release of its latest ultra-precision nanopositioning linear actuators that deliver push/pull forces up to 600 N (130 lb) and travel ranges up to 20 mm. The N-216 PiezoWalk Linear Actuator operates on the principle of coordination motion of various highly preloaded shear and linear piezo components acting on a ceramic runner.

The new linear actuators excel when tough requirements for stability, lifetime, force and precision are paramount, making them suitable for applications in hard-to-access internals of instruments, where vibration cancellation and/or nanometer-realm adjustments are demanded. The PiezoWalk controller promotes long life by reducing the operating voltage on the piezo components to zero without affecting the entire holding force of up to 800 N (177 lbs).

Its piezoceramic shear and clamping components directly act on a moving runner coupled to the load. For long distance movements and maximum velocity, the runner is driven in full step mode, while constant velocity and extremely uniform movements are achieved using nanostepping mode. Aside from combining piezo-class precision with long travel ranges, the PiezoWalk drives also deliver a high-dynamics analog operation mode (100’s of Hz) in smaller distances (up to six µm).

Offered in a selection of two variants for closed- or open-loop operation, the N-216 linear motor are also available in two different load configurations. Its closed-loop variants feature a linear encoder for the moving runner’s direct position measurements. The encoder offers five nm resolution across the full travel range. Meanwhile, a position loop resolution of up to 30 picometers can be achieved during open-loop operation by using the analog operation mode.