Amplified Piezoelectric Actuators

The AP family of high-displacement actuators utilize an advanced flexural mechanism and high performance piezoelectric stack actuators to provide an exceptionally large range of motion, fast response, and sub-nanometer resolution. The advanced dual-hinge flexure mechanism significantly outperforms competing devices due to its significantly higher in-plane and out-of-plane stiffness, greater mechanical efficiency, and higher resonance frequency. The dual-hinge flexure design also results in extremely compact dimensions.

Applications include: Nanopositioning, Biomedical, Microscopy, Precision machining, Vibration control, High-speed valves, and Optics. A range of standard devices are available for immediate delivery, however, custom dimensions and travel ranges can be produced with a four-week lead time.

• Download Datasheet

• Enquiry

  • Full Name*
  • Email*
  • Piezo Expert
    • 
      Receive Piezo Expert tutorials and application tips once per quarter
  • Subject*
  • Message
  • CAPTCHA
  • Comments
    This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

• Obtain a quote

  • Full Name*
  • Email*
  • Products
    Amplified Piezoelectric Actuators
  • Address
    
    
    Street Address
    
    
    Address Line 2
    
    
    City
    
    
    State / Province / Region
    
    
    ZIP / Postal Code
    
    AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBrunei DarussalamBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos IslandsColombiaComorosCongo, Democratic Republic of theCongo, Republic of theCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzech RepublicCôte d'IvoireDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatini (Swaziland)EthiopiaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuamGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard and McDonald IslandsHoly SeeHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKuwaitKyrgyzstanLao People's Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacauMacedoniaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorfolk IslandNorth KoreaNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPalestine, State ofPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairnPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarRomaniaRussiaRwandaRéunionSaint BarthélemySaint HelenaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint MartinSaint Pierre and MiquelonSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSint MaartenSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth GeorgiaSouth KoreaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSvalbard and Jan Mayen IslandsSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTimor-LesteTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUS Minor Outlying IslandsUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaVietnamVirgin Islands, BritishVirgin Islands, U.S.Wallis and FutunaWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabweÅland Islands
    Country
    
  • Piezo Expert
    • 
      Receive Piezo Expert tutorials and application tips once per quarter
  • Message
  • CAPTCHA
  • Phone
    This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

AP340 – 340um Range

AP350 – 350um Range

AP830 – 830um Range

Quality / Testing

Each actuator is individually tested for displacement range, blocking force, and resonance frequency. A test report is provided with each delivery.

Mounting

The AP actuators can be mounted in a fixed-free or free-free configuration using the threaded mounting holes. When a voltage is applied, a proportional expansion is developed in the vertical direction, as illustrated below.

Tension Force

The maximum tension force is 10% of the blocking (compressive) force.

Range

The range is specified for an applied voltage of -15V to +150V. The unipolar range is from 0V to +150V.

When an amplified actuator is driving a spring, the range is reduced by the factor $$\frac{k_a}{k_a+k_L}$$ where \(k_a\) is the actuator stiffness and \(k_L\) is the load stiffness.

Capacitance

The actuator capacitance is the small-signal capacitance measured at room temperature. Due to hysteresis, the effective capacitance increases with applied voltage. When operating at full range, the effective capacitance is approximately twice the small-signal capacitance. The capacitance also increases with temperature. A temperature increase of approximately 50 degrees C will double the effective capacitance.

Electrical Current Requirements

Calculate Power Bandwidth

The required current is \( I = C~ dV/dt \) where \( I \) is the current, \( C \) is the effective capacitance, and \( dV/dt \) is the voltage rate of change. For a sine-wave, the required peak current is equal to: $$ I_p = \pi C f V_{p-p} $$ where \( V_{p-p} \) is the peak-to-peak voltage. For a triangle wave, the required peak current is equal to: $$ I_p = 2 C f V_{p-p} $$

Recommended Drivers

Vacuum Compatibility

The AP Actuators and wiring insulation meet the outgassing requirements for NASA SP-R-0022A.

Customization

Custom dimensions and travel ranges can be produced with a four-week lead time.