PiezoMotor Uppsala AB, a world leading provider of new micro motor technologies - Piezo LEGS technology

A walking drive principle
Imagine an electric motor of approximately the same size as an ant, but 1,000 times as strong. Then imagine that it moves like an ant, despite being constructed in one solid piece. Still, it can actually walk, step by step, one pair of legs at a time.

What is really unique with the Piezo LEGS^® motor is its ability to synchronize the movement of each pair of legs – just like an ant. What is obvious in nature is not necessarily as obvious to an electric motor.

> Piezo LEGS^® drive principle – animation

Made in one piece
In the Piezo LEGS®, multiple bimorph actuators are co-sintered to a single body with four movable legs made out of ceramic “muscles”.

A conventional electric motor usually requires several assembled parts such as rotor, stator, ball bearings etc. to make it work. Piezo LEGS® operates directly with no need for gears or mechanical transmission and the material is virtually impossible to wear out.

Nanometer steps and direct drive
The applied voltage on the ceramic “muscles” controls the synchronized movement of each pair of legs, enabling them to move forward and backward. The unique design of Piezo LEGS® makes the motor walk in precise linear motion, taking steps typically no bigger than a couple of micrometers, steps that can be controlled to the single nanometer range.

By taking several thousand steps per second, Piezo LEGS^® can reach travelling speeds of several centimeters per second. The motion dynamics are fascinating; performing nanometer precision and then suddenly moving several million nanometer (centimeters) per second.

Designed for large volume production
The simple design makes Piezo LEGS® easy to produce in large quantities with a high degree of precision and we can adapt the motor’s properties and performance to suit your application or product. This saves you time and money as you do not have to change your product to fit the motor.