PI (Physik Instrumente) Downloads

  1. Small Motion Steps Yield Big Effects In The Quest For Life On Mars 1/19/2022

    The Curiosity rover has been running reliably on Mars for many years and to this day, it is still providing data. While it could not discover current life forms, the basic question whether Mars could have once supported an environment for primitive life forms was a clear “yes."

  2. How To Connect A Safety Light Barrier To A Hexapod System 11/19/2021

    This white paper from PI explains when it is useful and necessary to use a safety device, how a safety light barrier (or light curtain) works, how the risk assessment for hexapods is carried out, and how the safety device can quickly be integrated in the controller environment.

  3. What Is The Difference Between Parallel Positioners And Stacked Serial Kinematics? 9/27/2021

    When faced with a multi-axis motion application, many users stack motion stages, and in fact that is a fine approach for assemblies of just a few axes. But as applications become more complex, so do the equivalent stacks-of-stages, and very real and practical considerations begin to come into play.

  4. Scanning Performance Of Air Bearings 9/24/2021

    In this technical note, we will discuss several aspects of scanning performance: how it is specified and measured, what performance level is achievable, what can impact the performance, and why air bearings provide superior scanning performance.

  5. Hexapod FAQs 9/24/2021

    Hexapods provide motion in all 6 Degrees of Freedom, X,Y,Z, Pitch, Roll, Yaw.  6-DoF motion platforms and positioning systems are often referred to as Stewart Platforms.

  6. Air Bearings Are Critical In CMM And Metrology Applications 9/24/2021

    Air bearings have played a crucial role in the development and construction of coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and other metrology tools for decades. Since they are inherently frictionless and highly stable, air bearings play a key role in delivering the precision required in metrology equipment.

  7. PILOT — Enabling The Highest Performance Precision Automation Systems In The World 9/22/2021

    PI has developed PI Lead Optimized Translation (PILOT) Technology to push the bounds of performance into new domains for direct drive stages used in applications with short high acceleration moves requiring rapid settling and tracking applications with moves following an external signal.

  8. Dynamic Gyroscopic Stabilization Of A Platform In 6-Degrees Of Freedom 9/22/2021

    Hexapod motion platforms provide a good basis to compensate for motion in 6 degrees of freedom.  In previous articles, the use for these parallel kinematic mechanisms has been explained in camera quality testing applications and for improving image stabilization algorithms.

  9. Piezo Controllers/Mechanisms: How To Select The Right Piezo Controller/Driver 8/23/2021

    When selecting a motion controller / driver for a piezo nanopositioning system, a number of questions need to be answered first.  Here’s a check list and an example that can help make the best choice. 

  10. Advances In Piezo Nanopositioning Controllers – Digital Vs. Analog 8/23/2021

    Digital piezo nanopositioning controllers have a reputation for being expensive and only cost efficient in high-end applications. A recent new design approach has changed this situation, making advanced digital control features affordable for main stream piezo motion applications.