Micro motion system operates directly from 3VDC battery

The Squiggle RV reduced voltage linear drive system consists of an SQL-RV-1.8-6-12 Squiggle motor and NSD-2101 drive asic. New Scale says that It is the industry's first miniature piezo motor drive solution with a driver chip that is smaller than the motor and driven directly from battery power as low as 2.3VDC without the need for a voltage boost. The micro motor utilises multi layer piezo technology from TDK-EPC to reduce the input voltage requirements of the motor – the world's smallest linear motor at 2.8 x 2.8 x 6mm. The NSD-2101 driver was developed for this new motor in partnership with austriamicrosystems using integrated circuit designs and patented control systems. This smart IC measures 1.8 x 1.8mm and drives the Squiggle RV motor directly, without the need for an external boost circuit. Ralph Weber, product manager at New Scale, said: "This is a tremendous milestone for the piezo motor industry. We are the first company to commercialise a piezoelectric motor system that matches the low voltage operation of stepper motors while at the same time using radically less space and power." According to Weber, the linear drive system is more than five times smaller and uses 40% less power than comparable electromagnetic linear drive systems. The NSD-2101 accepts direct 2.3 to 5.5VDC battery power and uses full bridge switching technology to create an ultrasonic motor drive frequency. The IC also has smart drive features built in designed to optimise motor performance while minimising power consumption over a range of operating and environmental conditions. The NSD-2101 requires only DC battery power and digital I2C control commands. The SQL-RV-1.8 motor achieves forces in excess of 50g and high resolution to 0.5micrometre. New Scale says it can run at speeds greater than 7mm/sec with power consumption of less than 350mW when moving under typical loading conditions. This corresponds to a DC current of 120mA for a typical 3VDC battery.