Engineered Subsystems for Automation

Precision components, stable control and a great deal of experience in engineering are essential for high-precision complex motion and positioning solutions. PI is a supplier of technologically sophisticated motion-centric solutions and therefore makes use of own drive components and high-precision positioners. All levels of integration can be offered up to multi-axis combinations that use different drive technologies including motion control.

Engineering designs of motion subsystems have been a part of PI's core business for many years. Customized solutions, fitting seamlessly into existing processes, advance automation in manufacturing and inspection processes for chip production or photonics packaging as well as major research installations.

Core Competencies

  • Support and consulting for motion and positioning applications
  • Reliable and prompt series production even for large quantities
  • Economic design
  • Complex multi-axis designs and parallel kinematic robotics
  • Broad spectrum of in-house technologies: Drive, guide, and sensor technologies
  • In-house development of motion control electronics and software platform
  • Software support with libraries and drivers
  • Commissioning
Dr. Cliff Jolliffe Manager Market Segment Automation

Engineered subsystems are an essential approach to support our OEM and system integration customers. We also offer integration to our highly capable families of PI and ACS motion controllers.

Dr. Cliff Jolliffe, Head of Market Segment Industrial Automation

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Engineered Precision Systems Use Top-Quality Components

The key to success is that the entire knowledge and experience of the PI Group is used for creating customized products for individual applications. Customized solutions are made easy with the broad portfolio of standard products available from one supplier. PI provides all the components for the system and configures the multi-axis structures.

Steps Towards Success

  1. Define together what the exact purpose of your question or application is
  2. Cooperate closely with you on an engineering design level during the concept phase to find the perfect solution
  3. Provide a technical and business proposal
  4. Detail the complete system
  5. The system is assembled, tested, approved by the customer and then delivered
Physik Instrumente Scott Jordan

To make new business fields profitable requires automated assembly technologies capable of achieving otherwise impractical combinations of throughput and precision across multiple degrees of freedom. On the basis of our broad product and technology portfolio, our experienced and creative engineers strive to develop the technically best possible motion solution for your process.

Scott Jordan, Head of Market Segment Photonics

Images of Motion Subsystems

Videos of Motion Subsystems

PIMag® Gantry System 

Precision components, stable control and a great deal of experience in engineering are essential for high-precision complex motion and positioning solutions. PI is a supplier of technologically sophisticated drive components and high-precision positioners and also offers all levels of integration up to the turnkey solution. Engineering services have been a part of PI’s core business for many years. Complete solutions, fitting seamlessly into existing processes, advance automation in major research installations as well as manufacturing and inspection processes for chip production or photonics packaging.

PI System for Microscopy, Tomography, Laminography

Get to know the MiQA (Microscopy and Quality Assurance)  system from PI miCos. The unique system, which consists of hexapods, rotation stages, goniometers, and a custom sample stage, will be used by the ANKA (Angströmquelle Karlsruhe) at the Karlsruhe Institute. The system will be used in a beamline for X-ray microscopy and the qualification of x-ray optics.

PI - Delivery of the MiQA to the KIT

Join us on the journey of the MiQA (Microscopy and Quality Assurance) system from its place of origin at PI miCos in Eschbach to the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. The system will be used in the ANKA (Angströmquelle Karlsruhe) for X-ray microscopy and the qualification of x-ray optics.

Simultaneous 2D Processing 

Together with SCANLAB and ACS, PI offers a motion control solution for laser material processing, which combines the laser beam scanner and sample scanner, provides the ability to mark and process large pieces with very high precision and an ultimate throughput.

Kinematic Carrying Platform for an X-Ray Spectrometer

In this video, Dr. Markus Simon from PI miCos shows a special system set-up that is used for synchrotron  x-ray spectroscopy. The system uses products from the field of hexapod technology and can be used for example, for material testing.

Production Capacity for Customized Products

The production spectrum ranging from integrated systems, a two-ton hexapod to a 10-gram nanopositioner requires that PI has available equipment and technologies with which these systems can be manufactured, assembled, and qualified.

  • 5,000 m² clean room for production
  • Climate- and vibration-isolated measuring conditions
  • Vacuum technology for environments to 10-10 hPa

 

  • Metrology with traceable, calibrated external measuring equipment
  • Monitoring of piezo actuator technology from material composition to final inspection
  • In-house manufacturing of positioning sensors

The professional production, assembly and qualification has top priority, starting from the first prototype.

Ralf Fütterer, Head of the Manufacturing Fractal for Customized Products

Levels of Integration

PI is a leading supplier of high-precision devices in various states of integration. Components like piezo drives, sensors and compact motion controllers can be adapted to fit into OEM machines and production equipment. Manufacturing capacity for volume production is granted. The classical positioning system provides easiest set-up and allows for individual integration into an application. Fully integrated motion systems offer full functionality designed according to unique market requirements.

Related Products

A-351 MGS Gantry System with Linear Motors

Robust Compact Design with Recirculating Ball Bearing Guides for High Load Capacity.

  • Overhead moving XY gantry
  • Precision recirculating ball bearing guides
  • Absolute encoder
  • High-performance ironless linear motors
  • Various travel ranges. Options and customized adaptations
  • Flexible modular platform

A-341 PIglide HGS Hybrid Gantry System

Hybrid Guide Design with Air Bearings and Recirculating Ball Bearing Guides for High Precision with Low Profile.

  • Hybrid design: Gantry axis with recirculating ball bearing guides, bridge axis with air bearing
  • Absolute encoder
  • High-performance ironless linear motors
  • Various travel ranges. Options and customized adaptations
  • Flexible modular platform

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