This article describes why designing with piezoelectric motors requires a different mindset than that used with traditional servo or stepper motors, and how this multi-national design team tuned the piezoelectric ceramics, the silicon, and the system to work together for optimal performance.

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New Scale Technologies has received its fifth U.S. patent for miniature piezoelectric motor technology. Trade-named the UTAF motor (for Ultra-Thin Auto Focus, its target application), the tiny new device integrates all ultrasonic motor functions into a single piezoelectric ceramic beam measuring only 4.5 X 0.82 X 0.7 mm.

This new ultrasonic motor enables smaller, faster cameras that offer better image and video quality while using less power.

Technology
Piezoelectric ceramics vibrate in response to electrical signals; ultrasonic motors translate those micrometer-scale vibrations into larger motion through friction contact. The UTAF motor uses an innovative co-fired multi-layer ceramic process to create a single beam composed of many thin layers of piezo ceramic. Sub-segments of the monolithic beam are energized independently, causing the beam to vibrate simultaneously in two orthogonal directions as its motion mechanism. Frequency, phase and amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrations are controlled by a two-phase drive circuit.

Because the layers are very thin, they respond to signals of only 3 volts or less. This is a significant advantage in smart phone camera applications, as it allows the UTAF motor to operate directly from the phone battery.

UTAF module for thin phone cameras

Modules
The UTAF motor is combined with several other patent-pending innovations to deliver a complete ultra-thin auto focus actuator module for next-generation ultra-thin mobile phones with image sensors better than 8 MP.

>> Learn more about the UTAF motor, technology and modules

New Scale's founder and chief technology officer Dave Henderson recently joined Design News editor Al Presher and Bruno Adam from Adept Technology in a webcast "Mechatronic Solutions for Medical Applications: Impact of Robotics and Miniaturized Motion Solutions."

View New Scale's presentations

• Part I: Micro Mechatronic Systems. Learn how New Scale creates fully-integrated micro mechatronic modules, and where you can use them in consumer, commercial, industrial, medical, and defense and security applications.
• Part II: Medical Applications. Learn more about medical device applications of mechatronic systems, including fluid control, endoscopic surgery, implantable device applications and a wide range of medical imaging systems such as augmented vision systems.

View the entire webcast

To view the one-hour webcast in its entirety visit Design News (registration required).

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