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A New Take on Ultrasonic Motors

December 5, 2018

Ultrasonic motors are a specific type of piezoelectric motor that use resonance effects to generate high direct drive torque in a small package. These motors work by using the rapid response of piezoelectric elements to generate resonance patterns which transfer torque to the output. Because of the high direct drive torque, many applications do not require gear reduction. Ultrasonic motors also boast zero power hold and zero backlash. Customers have found that zero power hold eliminates the need for an external brake and greatly reduces power consumption on low to medium duty cycle applications. These advantages further simplify system integration.  When used as an alternative to an electromagnetic motor, they can provide higher precision in a lighter and smaller package.

smart ultrasonic motor

The SUM-40

DSM is proud to unveil the SUM-40, a fully integrated motor and controller which utilizes ultrasonic technology.  The SUM-40 is an ideal solution for micropositioning applications that call for a high torque in a small form factor, zero backlash, zero power hold, simple implementation, and quiet operation.  The product will be officially released in the summer of 2016, however a Beta testing program is ongoing and DSM is taking inquires (product now released - SUM40).

Click here to view product details.

  • Integrated driver
  • Integrated closed-loop control electronics
  • Integrated high-resolution optical encoder
  • USB-C / RS-232 communication protocols
  • External digital I/O connections
  • Intuitive software for easy system integration
  • Nonmagnetic versions available

Some of the many potential industries and applications include:

  • Robotics
  • Aerospace
  • Medical devices
  • Optics actuation
  • Gimbals
  • Proportional valves
  • Instrumentation

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