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

Featured Product

Model TR1 Tru-Trac

Model TR1 Tru-Trac

The Model TR1 Tru-Trac® linear measurement solution is a versatile option for tracking velocity, position, or distance over a wide variety of surfaces. An integrated encoder, measuring wheel, and spring-loaded torsion arm in one, compact unit, the Model TR1 is easy to install. The spring-loaded torsion arm offers adjustable torsion load, allowing the Model TR1 to be mounted in almost any orientation - even upside-down. The threaded shaft on the pivot axis is field reversible, providing mounting access from either side. With operating speeds up to 3000 feet per minute, a wide variety of configuration options - including multiple wheel material options - and a housing made from a durable, conductive composite material that minimizes static buildup, the Model TR1 Tru-Trac® is the ideal solution for countless applications.