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Required Controller:
KIM001 or KIM101

• KIM001: Single-Channel Output
• KIM101: Four Output Channels, Capable of Multi-Channel Operation
• Standalone Control via Top Panel or PC-Control via USB Plug and Play
• Voltage Output from 85 V to 125 V

Features

• Compact Design, 31.5 mm x 17.0 mm (W x H)
• Piezo Inertia Actuator Offers 20 nm Typical Step Size
• Manual Adjustment via Rear-Located Thumbscrew
• 125 V Maximum Operating Voltage
• Compatible with Translation Stages using 3/8"-40 Thread or 3/8" Mounting Block
• Also Available in 10 mm, 13 mm, and 50 mm Travel Versions
• Ideal for Set-and-Hold Applications that Require Relative Positioning with High Resolution
• Control Cable can be Adjusted up to 110° for Space-Constrained Applications

Thorlabs' PIA25 Piezoelectric Inertia Actuator provides high-resolution linear motion control with a long piezo-controlled translation range in a compact package. It can support loads up to 2.5 kg (5.51 lbs) and preloads up to 30 N with typical movements of 20 nm and no backlash. The step size can be adjusted up to 30% to a maximum of approximately 30 nm using the KIM101 Controller and Kinesis^® software. However, due to the open-loop design, hysteresis, and application conditions, the achieved step size of the system can vary over 20%. An external feedback system will need to be used to overcome this variance.

This actuator has a Ø3/8" (9.525 mm) mounting barrel with a 3/8"-40 thread on the front of the barrel for compatibility with our wide range of translation and rotation stages. For compatibility with 1/4"-80 threaded mirror mounts see our 10 mm travel piezo inertia actuator. The actuator is self-locking when at rest and when there is no power supplied to the piezo, making the actuator ideal for set-and-hold applications that require nanometer resolution and long-term alignment stability. Manual adjustments can be made at any time, as long as the piezo is not actively translating the screw, by using the rear-located thumbscrew or with a 5/64" (2 mm) hex key.

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The Control Cable Can be Adjusted up to 110° for Space-Constrained Applications

Powered by a 10 mm (0.39") long discrete piezo stack, the actuator can operate at speeds of up to 3.5 mm/min. The design of the piezo motor will rotate the tip of the lead screw during translation. As shown in the image to the left, the control cable for each actuator can be rotated up to 110° for space-constrained applications.

For information on the design of our piezo inertia "slip-stick" motor actuators, please see the complete presentation here.

Required Controller
The KIM101 Controller is required to operate our PIA25 Piezo Inertia Actuator; the actuator cannot be operated using a standard piezo controller. The KIM101 has an internal sawtooth voltage signal generator capable of sending sub-millisecond pulses (steps) with controllable amplitudes from 85 V to 125 V. The driver features four channels and is capable of single- or dual-channel operation, making the controller ideal for applications involving multiple motorized actuators, such as beam steering.

For more information, please see the full web presentation.

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Required
Controller
KST101

• 49,152 Microsteps per Revolution
• 15 V Output at 12 W
• Trapezoidal and
  'S-Curve' Velocity Profiles

Features

• Non-Rotating Drive Tip
• Bi-Polar Stepper Motor Actuator: 150.5 mm (5.93") Long
• Compatible with Stages and Mounts that Accept Ø3/8" (Ø9.525 mm) Barrels
• Also Available in 6 mm and 13 mm Travel Versions

The ZST225B Actuator provides smooth, precise linear motion control in a package measuring 150.5 mm (5.93") in length. Powered by a small-diameter, dual-phase stepper motor, this actuator operates at speeds of up to 2.0 mm/s. The non-rotating drive tip reduces wear and friction and improves smoothness of motion by removing rotational contact at the tip. Mounting is via a standard Ø3/8" (Ø9.525 mm) barrel.

This actuator uses a stepper motor that provides sufficient torque for loads up to 40 N (8.99 lb). It allows very small step sizes over the entire travel range, delivering greater flexibility with low (<15 µm) backlash and fine resolution. The design incorporates a 41:1 gear reduction head which, when combined with the 49,152 microsteps per revolution offered by the KST101 stepper motor driver, gives a theoretical travel per microstep of 0.5 nm (see the Calculations tab for details).

Hall effect limit switches prevent the unit from being overdriven and provide homing capability with an accuracy of <5.0 μm. The ZST225B ships with 0.6 m (2 ft) of cable terminated in a 15-pin D-Type connector that is compatible with our KST101 stepper motor controller.

The ZST225B has a standard Ø3/8" (Ø9.525 mm) mounting barrel for fastening into any application compatible with our precision micrometer heads, like the PT1 Single-Axis Translation Stage or the PT3 Three-Axis Translation Stage.

How to calculate the linear displacement per microstep

Each member of the ZST200 series of motors has 24 full steps per revolution, and when driven by the KST101 drivers, there are 2048 microsteps per full step. Hence, there are 49,152 microsteps per revolution of the motor. The output shaft of the motor goes into a 40.866:1 gear head. This requires the motor to rotate 40.866 times to rotate the 1.0 mm pitch lead screw one revolution. The end result is the lead screw advances by 1.0 mm. To calculate the linear displacement of the actuator per microstep, use the following:

Linear displacement of the lead screw per microstep:

Number of Microsteps x Gearbox Ratio = 49,152 x 40.866 = 2,008,645.63

The linear displacement of the lead screw per microstep is

1.0 mm / 2,008,645.63 = 0.49 x 10^-6 mm = 0.5 nm

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Required
Controller
KST101

• 49,152 Microsteps per Revolution
• 15 V Output at 12 W
• Trapezoidal and
  'S-Curve' Velocity Profiles

Features

• Compact, Bi-Polar Stepper Motor Actuator: 88.5 mm (3.48") Long when Fully Retracted
• Manual Adjustment via Rear-Located Thumbscrew
• Non-Rotating Drive Tip
• Compatible with Stages and Mounts that Accept Ø3/8" (Ø9.525 mm) Barrels
• Also Available in 6 mm and 13 mm Travel Versions

Our ZFS25B Actuator provides smooth, precise linear motion control in a sleek, compact package measuring just 88.5 mm (3.48") in length when fully retracted. This compact profile reduces the distance between the end of the actuator and optomechanical components, keeping the center of mass closer to the contact point than the ZST225B actuator described above.

Powered by a small-diameter, dual-phase stepper motor, this actuator operates at speeds of up to 2.0 mm/s. The non-rotating drive tip reduces wear and friction and improves smoothness of motion by removing rotational contact at the tip. If power is not supplied to the actuator, manual adjustment is accomplished using the rear-located thumbscrew. The actuator motor can be damaged if this thumbscrew is rotated while power is being supplied. Mounting is accomplished via a standard Ø3/8" (Ø9.525 mm) barrel.

The ZFS25B Motorized Actuator uses a stepper motor that provides sufficient torque for loads up to 40 N (8.99 lb). The actuator allows very small step sizes over the entire travel range, delivering greater flexibility with low (<15 µm) backlash and fine resolution. The design incorporates a 400:9 gear reduction head which, when combined with the 49,152 microsteps per revolution offered by the TST101 stepper motor driver, gives a theoretical travel per microstep of 0.46 nm (see the Calculations tab for details).

Hall effect limit switches prevent the unit from being overdriven and provide homing capability with an accuracy of <5.0 μm. The ZFS25B ships with 0.6 m (2 ft) of cable terminated in a 15-pin D-Type connector (see the Pin Diagrams tab) that is compatible with our KST101 stepper motor controller.

The ZFS25B has a standard Ø3/8" (Ø9.525 mm) mounting barrel for fastening into any application compatible with our precision micrometer heads, like the PT1 Single-Axis Translation Stage or the PT3 Three-Axis Translation Stage. The manual adjuster of the LNR25 stage in the photo below was replaced with a ZFS25B motorized actuator.

How to calculate the linear displacement per microstep

The ZFS series of motors has 24 full steps per revolution, and when driven by the KST101 drivers, there are 2048 microsteps per full step, giving 49,152 microsteps per revolution of the motor. The output shaft of the motor goes into a 400:9 gear head. This requires the motor to rotate 44.445 times to rotate the 1.0 mm pitch lead screw one revolution. The end result is the lead screw advances by 1.0 mm.

Linear displacement of the lead screw per microstep:

Number of Microsteps x Gearbox Ratio = 49,152 x 44.445 = 2184560.64

The linear displacement of the lead screw per microstep is

1.0 mm / 2184560.64 = 0.46 x 10^-6 mm = 0.46 nm

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Recommended Controllers
BSC201, BSC202, or BSC203

• 409,600 Microsteps per Revolution
• 48 V Output at 25 W
• Trapezoidal and
  'S-Curve' Velocity Profiles

Features

• Specifically Designed to be Used with LNR50 TravelMax™ Stages
• ±1.6 µm Unidirectional Repeatability
• Maximum Pushing Force: 180 N
• Preload to Eliminate Backlash
• Non-Rotating Tip
• 50 mm Travel Version Also Available

The DRV225 Trapezoidal Stepper Motor Drive offers 25 mm (0.98") of travel and a unidirectional repeatability of ±1.6 μm. When used with one of our stepper motor controllers, this actuator can achieve a theoretical minimum step size of 2.4 nm and a maximum speed of 50 mm/s.

The hybrid stepper motor, with its rotor that consists of 50 individual magnetic teeth, is ideally suited for microstepping applications. Its 200 full steps per revolution are further broken down into 409 600 microsteps. In addition to the resulting increase in resolution, microstepping produces smoother low-speed motion by allowing the discrete 1.8° step size to be reduced to much smaller steps with inherently lower vibrational noise.

The DRV225 stepper motor drive is equipped with a trapezoidal screw thread for more efficient high-load operation than is available from standard threading.

This actuator is compatible with our 2" TravelMax manual stages. To use the DRV225 with these stages, mount the motor to the side of the stage using two 40 mm long M4 cap screws (included).

How to Calculate Linear Displacement per Microstep

The stepper motor used in the DRV225 actuator has 200 full steps per revolution of the motor. Each full step is broken down into 2048 microsteps. There are 409,600 microsteps per revolution of the motor when using the BSC201 controller. The leadscrew has a pitch of 1.0 mm, meaning that it will produce 1.0 mm of linear motion per revolution. The linear displacement of one actuator microstep can be calculated as follows:

1.0 mm per Revolution / 409,600 Microsteps per Revolution = 2.4 x 10^-6 mm per Microstep

To calculate the linear displacment for a full step, substitute 409,600 microsteps per revolution with 200 full steps per revolution.

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Required
Controller
KDC101

• 34,304 Microsteps per Revolution
• 15 V Output at 2.5 W
• Trapezoidal Velocity Profile

Features

• 6 VDC Servo Actuator
• Sub-micron Resolution
• Maximum Velocity: 2.3 mm/s
• Drop In Replacement for Most 25 mm Manual Actuators
• Compatible with Stages and Mounts that Accept Ø3/8" (Ø9.525 mm) Barrels
• Limit Switches for Zero Datum and Actuator Protection
• Also Available in 6 mm and 12 mm Travel Versions

Our Z8 Series Motorized Actuators are engineered for use with optical positioning devices. They offer high resolution in a lightweight package, which makes these actuators ideally suited for demanding optical laboratory automation applications. The Z825B delivers 25 mm of travel and has been designed as a replacement for the Z725 motor.

Commercial limit switches have been added to provide overdrive protection and accurate home positioning. The motor in the Z8 provides a motion velocity of 2.3 mm/sec. The precision of the encoder (512 counts/rev) results in a minimum resolution of about 29 nm.

The Z825B has been designed specifically to replace the manual adjusters in stages and mirror mounts that have a Ø3/8" (Ø9.525 mm) barrel clamp, like the PT1 Single-Axis Translation Stage or the PT3 Three-Axis Translation Stage.

To install, remove the existing manual adjuster from the mount, and fit the replacement Z8 Actuator. The photo below shows a PT3 three-axis stage with a Z825B fitted to one of the axes.

The units are shipped with 1.6' (0.5 m) of cable. A 2.5 m (8 ft) extension cable (PAA632) is available separately.

For applications with different travel requirements, please see our 6 mm Z806 and 12 mm Z812 actuators. We also offer the Z825BV vacuum-compatible version (sold below), which is rated for use down to 10^-6 torr and is shipped with a 1.6' (0.5 m) flat ribbon cable, IDC connector, and a converter cable for use with our KDC101 controller.

The KDC101 DC Servo Controller is the required driver for the Z8 series actuators. Please note that previous generation TDC001 units will require a firmware upgrade to V1.0.10 or later, before they can be used with the Z8 series motors. An upgrade is included with the latest APT Server software, which can be downloaded here.

A PT3 1" XYZ translation stage with a Z825B motorized actuator replacing the manual adjuster.

How to Calculate the Linear Displacement per Encoder Count

For the Z825B, there are 512 encoder counts per revolution of the motor. The output shaft of the motor goes into a 67:1 planetary gear head. This requires the motor to rotate 67 times to rotate the 1.0 mm pitch lead screw one revolution. The end result is the lead screw advances by 1.0 mm.

The linear displacement of the actuator per encoder count is given by

512 x 67 = 34,304 encoder counts per revolution of the lead screw,

whereas the linear displacement of the lead screw per encoder count is given by

1.0 mm / 34,304 counts = 2.9 x 10^-5 mm (29 nm).

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Required
Controller
KDC101

• 34,304 Microsteps per Revolution
• 15 V Output at 2.5 W
• Trapezoidal Velocity Profile

Features

• 6 VDC Servo Actuator
• Sub-micron Resolution
• 2.3 mm/s Maximum Velocity
• Drop In Replacement for Most 12 mm Manual Actuators
• Compatible with Ø3/8" (Ø9.525 mm) Barrel-Fitting Stages and Mounts
• Limit Switches for Zero Datum and Actuator Protection
• Rated Down To 10^-6 Torr.
• Also Available in 6 mm and 12 mm Travel Versions

The Z825BV offers all the features and specifications of the Z825B described above, together with vacuum compatibility. These motors feature vacuum rated servo motors, a phosphorus bronze internal coupling mechanism and mounting bush, and high vacuum grease. They are rated for use down to 10^-6 Torr and are shipped with a 1.6' (0.5 m) vacuum compatible flat ribbon cable with IDC connector. This cable has a 0.05" (1.27 mm) pitch, 28 AWG stranded conductors and Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP) insulation. A converter cable for use with the KDC101 controller is also supplied, but it is not vacuum compatible and should only be used outside the chamber.

The Z825BV has been designed specifically to replace the manual adjusters in stages and mirror mounts that have a Ø3/8" (Ø9.525 mm) barrel clamp, like the PT1 Single-Axis Translation Stage or the PT3 Three-Axis Translation Stage.

To install, remove the existing manual adjuster from the mount, and fit the replacement Z8 Actuator The photo below shows a Z825BV fitted to a custom vacuum compatible PT1 stage. For custom vacuum compatible stages, please contact Tech Support. For applications with different travel requirements, please see our 6 mm Z806V and 12 mm Z812V and Z812BV actuators.

A Z825BV motorized actuator fitted to a custom vacuum-compatible PT1 stage.

The KDC101 DC Servo Controller is the required driver for the Z8 and Z6 series actuators. Please note that previous generation TDC001 units will require a firmware upgrade to V1.0.10 or later, before they can be used with the Z8 series motors. An upgrade is included with the latest APT Server software, which can be downloaded here.

How to Calculate the Linear Displacement per Encoder Count

For the Z825BV, there are 512 encoder counts per revolution of the motor. The output shaft of the motor goes into a 67:1 planetary gear head. This requires the motor to rotate 67 times to rotate the 1.0 mm pitch lead screw one revolution. The end result is the lead screw advances by 1.0 mm.

The linear displacement of the actuator per encoder count is given by

512 x 67 = 34,304 encoder counts per revolution of the lead screw,

whereas the linear displacement of the lead screw per encoder count is given by

1.0 mm / 34,304 counts = 2.9 x 10^-5 mm (29 nm).

The vacuum-compatible cable integrated with the Z825BV is terminated in a Female IDC 10-Pin socket connector. A short converter cable, which adapts this female IDC socket connector to a D-Type male HD15 pin connector, is included with the Z825BV to facilitate connecting the actuator to the recommended KDC101 controller. This converter cable, whose terminating connectors are shown at right, is not vacuum compatible.  Information describing the pin assignments for both the female IDC socket and Male D-Type HD connector (when it is connected to the female IDC socket connector) follows. 

Pin Diagram

10 Pin Female IDC Socket Connector
(Amphenol T812 Series, 2.54 mm Pitch)

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10 Pin Female IDC Socket Connector
(Amphenol T812 Series, 2.54 mm Pitch)

Pin Diagram

High-Density D-Type Male 15 Pin Connector

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Connectors terminating the converter cable. The image on the left shows the high-density D-Type male 15-pin connector, and the image on the right shows the 10-pin male IDC socket connector.

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Features

• 1.5 cc Syringe of Apiezon 100 Grease
• Convenient, Inexpensive Package that Reduces Waste
• Prolongs Lifetime of Actuator
• Ready to Dispense
• Vacuum Compatible to 10^-9 Torr

This Apiezon grease has excellent anti-seize properties. It contains PTFE for maximum lubricity and is ideal for re-lubricating the lead screw threads of our ZST, ZFS, and Z8 series actuators described above. It is supplied in a syringe for easy application and is recommended both for general use and for vacuum applications down to 10^-9 Torr. It has an optimal working range of 10 to 30 °C (50 to 86 °F).

Note: It is recommended that the lead screws of the Z8, ZFS, and ZST motors are lubricated every 50,000 cycles or 6 months, whichever comes first.