High Speed Piezo Actuators for Micro- and Nano-Dispensing
Highest repetition rates, reliable operation, and customizable design are strengths of PI’s newest piezo ceramic actuators.
Auburn, MA - PI, a global leader in piezo technology and motion control, offers high-speed actuators for micro- and nano-dispensing applications. Both standard and custom-designed actuators are available. All actuators are based on PI's in-house manufactured PICMA® piezoceramic drives. These drives are extremely reliable and underwent 100 billion cycles during life cycle testing by NASA before being employed on the Mars Mission.
PI's dispensing actuators are available as bare piezo stacks and in highly customized forms with motion amplifiers and integrated sensors. Standard stacks provide a travel range of 30µm, and motion-amplified actuators can reach hundreds of microns while still providing sub-millisecond responsiveness.
Why Nano-Dispensing?
Accurate dispensing of bio-medical substances or highly viscous liquids, like sealants, glues, or solder pastes, can boost the efficiency of production lines while meeting the quality demands of small-scale components. Piezo-driven mechanisms excel in this role: they produce rapid, dynamic actions coupled with considerable force. his makes them exceptionally apt for valve-actuation or the non-contact distribution of ultra-fine droplets, enabling consistent quality and highest throughput.
Why Ultrafast Piezo Technology?
Piezoceramic actuators are renowned for their rapid response times and are capable of dynamic movements at frequencies up to several kHz, with motion resolution down to the sub-nanometer range. Their motion is based on molecular effects, and the solid-state design excludes traditional moving parts and gears, rendering them maintenance-free. This is only one of the advantages stemming from the inverse piezoelectric effect in their crystalline structure, which operates without any friction-inducing elements. Piezo actuators are also notably energy-efficient, as they do not consume electricity when idle. Such features make them highly adaptable for a variety of applications. For example, in process technology, they facilitate quick dosing cycles, offering finely adjustable and precisely controllable travel ranges essential for dosing processes.
More information on high-speed dispensing actuators
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T.J. Davies' Retention Knobs
Our retention knobs are manufactured above international standards or to machine builder specifications. Retention knobs are manufactured utilizing AMS-6274/AISI-8620 alloy steel drawn in the United States. Threads are single-pointed on our lathes while manufacturing all other retention knob features to ensure high concentricity. Our process ensures that our threads are balanced (lead in/lead out at 180 degrees.) Each retention knob is carburized (hardened) to 58-62HRC, and case depth is .020-.030. Core hardness 40HRC. Each retention knob is coated utilizing a hot black oxide coating to military specifications. Our retention knobs are 100% covered in black oxide to prevent rust. All retention knob surfaces (not just mating surfaces) have a precision finish of 32 RMA micro or better: ISO grade 6N. Each retention knob is magnetic particle tested and tested at 2.5 times the pulling force of the drawbar. Certifications are maintained for each step in the manufacturing process for traceability.
