PICMA^® Piezo Bender Actuators

Multilayer elements are controlled by much lower voltages than single-layer piezo elements. The height of the active layers in PICMA® multilayer bending actuators can be reduced to a minimum height of 15 μm, so that even operating voltages of only 10 V are sufficient for operation.

Benders with unidirectional displacement consist of a single active piezoceramic layer that is glued together with a substrate consisting of AI₂O₃ ceramic or stainless steel. In comparison with the bimorph structure, these actuators achieve higher stiffnesses and a larger, but only unidirectional displacement.

Multilayer contracting plates can be manufactured in a variety of shapes, e.g. rectangular or disc-shaped, and are available on request. These plates can be applied, e.g. to metal or silicon substrates, in order to realize bender or pump elements with low control voltages.

PI Ceramic integrates piezo ceramics into the customer’s product. This includes both the electrical contacting of the elements according to customer requirements and the mounting of components provided by the customer, as well as the gluing or the casting of the piezo ceramics. PICMA® bender actuators can be provided, for example, with specially adapted holders, which facilitate their installation at the customer's.

Standard contacts for piezo actuators are 100 mm stranded wires or soldering points. For each piezo element, different wires acc. to the AWG standard are used. Please observe the soldering instructions for each product.

Piezo actuators can be equipped with position sensors to measure the displacement and are then suitable for repeatable positioning with nanometer precision. PI Ceramic uses strain gauge sensors (SGS) consisting of a thin metal foil that is applied to the piezo ceramics.

Multilayer PICMA® bending actuators can be manufactured in smallest dimensions of only a few millimeters. Dimensions larger than those of standard actuators are also possible. The geometry is determined by force generation and dynamics requirements.

Multilayer bending actuators can be manufactured in almost any shape. Round or triangular cross-sections and inner holes can be manufactured, for example, thus simplifying the actuator integration into the application. Like PICMA® standard actuators, these actuators are also all-ceramic insulated actuators.

Multilayer elements are controlled by much lower voltages than single-layer piezo elements. The height of the active layers in PICMA® multilayer bending actuators can be reduced to a minimum height of 15 μm, so that even operating voltages of only 10 V are sufficient for operation.