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Victor, NY - April 8, 2009 – New Scale
Technologies, creator of the world’s smallest linear motors,
today announced that it has developed new rotary
piezoelectric motors using its patented SQUIGGLE micro motor
technology. The custom
rotary micro motors were developed for
NASA Jet Propulsion
Laboratory’s “Cobra” fiber positioner, part of the Wide-Field
Multi Object Spectrometer (WFMOS) to be commissioned on the Subaru
Telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii in 2013.
Working with JPL’s design requirements, New Scale developed two
custom miniature rotary motors optimized for high torque and
precision. The two piezoelectric motors, measuring only 2.4 x 2.4 mm
and 4.6 x 4.6 mm in size, offer better than 0.1 degree step
resolution and twice the torque of similar-sized DC micro motors.
SQR custom rotary piezo motor performance
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SQR-2.4 |
SQR-4.6 |
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2.4 x 2.4 mm |
4.6 x 4.6 mm |
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0.10° |
0.06° |
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≥ 60 rpm |
≥ 60 rpm |
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0.6 mN-m |
3.0 mN-m |
Each Cobra fiber positioner comprises one SQR-2.4 and one SQR-4.6
rotary piezo motor in a two-stage theta-phi configuration. Overall
dimensions are 8 mm diameter x 85 mm length. The WFMOS will have
2400 Cobra positioners in a close-packed hex array pattern on 8-mm
centers.
Additional applications envisioned
In addition to the fiber positioning application for
spectrometry, New Scale can design and integrate custom rotary
piezoelectric motors for use anywhere that miniature rotary motors
are used, including electronic locks, micro pumps, and scanning
systems. New Scale rotary piezo motors can be optimized for other
design parameters including smaller size or higher speeds.
The SQUIGGLE motor design consists of piezoelectric plates that
are activated to generate ultrasonic vibrations in a hollow metal
stator tube. These vibrations directly drive a rotor in the tube
using friction as the driving force. Eliminating the need for gear
reduction mechanisms, this design enables direct-drive rotary motors
with very small size, high peak torque at sustained speeds, high
holding torque, and high precision without windup or backlash.
About the Cobra fiber positioner
The Cobra is a two-degree-of-freedom mechanism that can position
an optical fiber in the prime focus of the telescope to a precision
of 5 µm. The theta-phi style positioner contains two custom rotary
SQUIGGLE motors with one offset from the other, enabling the optic
fiber to be placed anywhere in a 9.5 mm diameter patrol region. The
patrol diameter of the actuator is large enough to obtain 100% sky
coverage with the close-packed hex array pattern of 2400 positioners
on 8-mm centers. The Cobra, named because it resembles a snake ready
to strike, allows red shift observations of 2400 cosmological
targets simultaneously. It allows, for the first time, large scale
Galactic Archeology and Dark Energy surveys, helping to unlock the
secrets of the universe. For more information,
refer to IEEE Aerospace Conference paper #1185, Version 5; “Cobra – a Two-Degree
of Freedom Fiber Optic Positioning Mechanism,” by C. Fisher, D.
Braun and J. Kaluzny of JPL and T. Haran of New Scale Technologies,
March 2009, ISBN 978-1-4244-2622-5/09.)
About New Scale Technologies
New Scale Technologies (www.newscaletech.com) designs and manufactures
miniature motion systems for precise movement of optics in imaging applications.
Our simple and elegant products deliver best-in-class performance in consumer
imaging, biometric authentication, surveillance, medical and machine vision
markets. With more than a decade of motion systems innovation, we integrate
piezoelectric micro motors, miniature drive control electronics and precise
mechanical systems. Our customers benefit from complete solutions for rapid
commercialization of their next generation products.
SQUIGGLE is a registered trademark, and TRACKER, New Scale Pathway and UTAF are trademarks of New Scale Technologies, Inc.
Please note: Press releases are current as published, but are not updated
after posting. Refer to our product pages for current product information including
specifications.
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