Precision Automation and Nanopositioning
Linear Actuators - High Accuracy / High Speed
Linear actuators convert motor, piezo, pneumatic, or electromagnetic drive energy into controlled straight-line motion. Precision linear actuators add high-resolution feedback, stiff guidance, and advanced control to deliver accurate, repeatable motion for automation, alignment, metrology, and nanopositioning.
Linear Actuator Types
Download the Precision Linear Actuator Catalog
Click here for information on 6-axis actuators / hexapods
Precision Linear Actuators from PI
PI offers a broad range of linear actuators designed for high-precision motion control, automation, and nanopositioning. These actuator technologies support applications that demand exceptional accuracy, fast response, high reliability, and compact integration.
PI’s portfolio includes piezo linear actuators, motorized linear actuators, voice-coil linear actuators, and direct-drive linear stages, covering travel ranges from microscopic motion to long-travel industrial positioning.
For ultra-fine motion, PI provides piezoelectric linear actuators and piezo motor-driven linear actuators capable of resolution in the nanometer and sub-nanometer range. These solutions are ideal for microscopy, photonics alignment, metrology, semiconductor inspection, and bio-nanotechnology.
For industrial and automation tasks, PI also supplies high-speed linear actuators based on direct-drive electromagnetic motors, including voice coil actuators and ironless linear motor stages. Direct-drive technology eliminates belts, screws, and other transmission components, reducing backlash, friction, and maintenance.
Six Classes of Linear Actuators
Piezo Stack Actuators
High dynamics, force, and resolution
Flexure-Guided & Amplified Piezo Actuators
Longer travel, high resolution, and integrated guiding systems
Ultrasonic Ceramic Actuators
High speed, long travel, self-locking, non-magnetic drive principle
PiezoWalk Ceramic Actuators
High force and resolution, self-locking, non-magnetic principle
Motorized DC-Servo / Stepper Actuators
Ballscrew / leadscrew drives, to 50 nanometer resolution, to 50 mm travel
Precision High-Speed Voice-Coil Linear Motor Actuators
Fast response, nanometer precision, and >10 mm travel
5 Things to Know About Precision Linear Actuators
Precision linear actuators are critical components in high-performance motion systems. Their performance is defined not by a single specification, but by the interaction of drive technology, feedback, mechanics, and control.
1. Drive Principle Defines Performance
The drive mechanism determines the actuator’s capabilities. Ball screws and lead screws provide high force and good accuracy. Direct-drive linear motors provide high speed, smooth motion, and no backlash. Voice coils provide very high dynamics over short travel. Piezo actuators provide nanometer and sub-nanometer resolution for ultra-fine positioning.
2. Closed-Loop Feedback Is Critical
Precision is achieved through feedback and control, not mechanics alone. Linear encoders, interferometers, and capacitive sensors help compensate for thermal drift, load variation, and disturbances, ensuring consistent accuracy and repeatability.
3. Guidance System Impacts Motion Quality
Air bearings provide frictionless, wear-free motion and excellent geometric accuracy. Crossed roller bearings provide stiffness and load capacity. Flexure guides eliminate backlash and friction for limited-travel nanopositioning. Guidance quality affects straightness, flatness, and angular errors.
4. Dynamic Performance Matters
Resolution alone does not define performance. Settling time, velocity stability, following error, and control bandwidth determine cycle time and throughput in demanding automation and alignment applications.
5. Application Fit Drives Selection
Typical applications include semiconductor manufacturing, wafer inspection, photonics alignment, microscopy, life sciences, laser processing, precision metrology, medical engineering, and aerospace instrumentation. The actuator must be selected around travel, force, dynamics, environment, and accuracy requirements.
Where Linear Actuators Are Used
High precision actuators and high-speed linear actuators are used in automation and nanopositioning applications in bio-nanotechnology, semiconductor test and manufacturing, medical engineering, lasers, optics, microscopy, aerospace engineering, precision machining, astronomy, and microsystems technology.
PI linear actuators are available with a wide variety of guide technologies, encoder options, controller interfaces, and travel ranges. Depending on the application, customers can choose compact actuators for embedded motion, vacuum-compatible designs for scientific instruments, or robust industrial systems for 24/7 operation.
Precision Linear Actuator Catalog
Download the catalog for product information on precision linear actuators, piezo actuators, motorized actuators, direct-drive actuator systems, and linear motion solutions.
