Piezo-actuation and PIEZOMECHANIK

Piezo-actuation based on discretely stacked high voltage multilayer elements has been introduced end of the Sixties as a remotely acting superfine adjust for optical components. Especially coherent optics and here the up-coming laser – technology were the main trigger. To introduce this new technology. In so far, optics can be designated as the “mother of multilayer-based piezo actuation”. The first stack actuators were high voltage type for driving voltages typically up to 1000V built up from standard PZT components like discs or plates bonded by adhesives.
The next very important step towards a broader application of piezo-actuation was the introduction of so-called co-fired monolithic piezo-elements . This step was done end of the Seventies.By this technology small-sized actuators for low voltage operation can be produced in larger quantities. At this time, another feature of piezo-actuation besides “super-positioning” came to higher interest: the generation of high forces and large acceleration rates based on the solid state properties of PZT ceramics. A first application was the use as impactors for the needles within needle-impact printers. The needle-printing principle disappeared by time, but another high speed mechanical switching application came up and represents now the larges application volume: the piezo-based fuel injection technology for super-modern Diesel common rail engines.
Currently, there are three main fields of piezo actuation
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Ultra-fast mechanical switching (fuel injection and other valve controls)
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Ultra-precise positioning e.g.in semi-conductor industry / glass fiber technology
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Active vibration control (vibration generation, vibration cancellation, adaptronics)
The professional career of Dr.Lutz Pickelmann as the founder and owner of PIEZOMECHANIK was parallel to the history of piezo actuation: Lutz Pickelmann came into a first contact with piezo actuators as a student, when he was setting up a high resolution Fourier- spectrometer for the near infrared spectrum. The rather difficult requirements for stabilizing the optomechanics of the interferometer were only fulfilled by the use of super-precise electrically controlled piezo-actuators. The technology was an exotic one at this time and the piezo-stacks were self-made. Upon the proposal of Lutz Pickelmann ,a rather exotic application of Fourier-spectroscopy at this time was the investigation of the spectral response of eyes-cells of drosophila-flies. The experiments were then carried out by R. Gemperlein / Institute of Biology / Munich University and H.Parsche / Physics Dept.E14 / Technical University of Munich.
The trend towards highly dynamic piezo actuation was increasingly reflected by PIEZOMECHANIK’s product range. High power frequency tuneable vibration systems are offered as well as high power axial shock generators. The high potential of piezo actuation for ultra-ynamic mechanics is shown by the use of big sized piezo-stacks as shock-generators for chiselling. (in cooperation with Hp.Schad / HILTI / Liechtenstein). Mechanical deformation energy in the Joule range is produced within ultra-short time periods within a few Tens of microseconds. Acceleration rates exceeding 100.000m/sec² have been demonstrated.
High power piezo-actuation is further the topic of various projects in the field of adaptronics. Like active vibration control even of very heavy and bulky structures like car-bodies, air-frames or tooling machines. Beside these main stream activities, PIEZOMECHANIK supports continuously exotic new applications like actuator systems running at cryo temperarture < 4°K e.g. for the dynamic tuning of superconducting resonators for accelerators used for the spallation neutron sources .