SQUIGGLE RV Micro Motor Technology
Inside the M3 Module
SQUIGGLE RV reduced voltage piezo motor needs just 3.3VDC to move precision microstages, focus modules and more
Here’s a look at the technology inside our M3 Smart Modules and custom integrated motion solutions. Patented piezoelectric SQUIGGLE motors and NSD2101 motor drivers power our M3 smart stages: linear micro stages and rotary micro stages. NOTE: SQUIGGLE motors are an enabling technology, available only within an M3 Module or custom solution.
The SQL-RV-1.8 SQUIGGLE® RV Reduced Voltage micro motor and NSD2101 drive IC are core technologies in our M3 micro mechatronic module design platform and many of our full-custom motion solutions. They allow us to create embedded motion for use in places where it could not have been imagined before.
This tiny piezoelectric motor offers greater power efficiency, higher reliability, and ten times better precision than electromagnetic motors.
The SQUIGGLE RV reduced voltage piezo motor is a patented ultrasonic motor with state-of-the-art multi-layer piezo technology. It delivers direct linear movement with no gears or cams, and has a self-locking design that uses power only when moving. The robust construction withstands high shock loads and offers silent, ultrasonic operation over a wide operating temperature range.
The NSD2101 piezo motor driver converts 2.3 to 5.5 VDC battery input directly to high frequency AC power to control the SQL-RV SQUIGGLE motor. Designed to drive the SQUIGGLE RV multi-layer motor, the NSD2101 provides advanced patented features such as frequency tracking and hybrid speed control to optimize motor performance while minimizing power consumption over a broad range of operating and environmental conditions. The NSD2101 accepts commands from your system processor over a digital I2C serial interface.
Features
- Tiny (2.8 x 2.8 x 6 mm) high-performance motor – the world’s smallest piezo motor
- Tiny (1.8 x 1.8) mm driver IC – the industry’s smallest piezo motor driver
- Direct battery input as low as 2.3 VDC to the drive IC, with no external voltage boost circuitry required
- 40% lower power consumption than comparable electromagnetic solution
SQL-1.8-RV Series SQUIGGLE motor with NSD2101 piezo driver. The 2.8 x 2.8 x 6 mm motor and 1.8 x 1.8 mm IC are powered by direct battery input as low as 2.3 VDC with no need for a boost circuit.
Performance
The SQL-RV-1.8 and NSD2101 drive IC provide a broad range of performance over a range of input voltages. Refer to the technical bulletin for motor force and speed as a function of input voltage to the NSD2101 driver IC, as well as the power required at various voltages to achieve a range of linear motor speeds.
| Model | SQL-RV-1.8 motor and controller performance | SQL-RV-3.4-15 with multi-chip driver circuit |
|---|---|---|
| Travel Range | 6 mm (others available) | 15 mm (others available) |
| Housing Dimensions | 2.8 x 2.8 x 6 mm | 4.75 x 4.5 x 11.2 mm (Excluding mounting feet) |
| Motor Body Dimensions | 1.8 x 1.8 x 6 mm | 3.4 x 3.4 x 10 mm |
| Resolution | 0.5 micrometer | 0.5 micrometer |
| Stall Force (at 3.3V input) | 30 gram force (0.3 N) | 300 gram force (3 N) |
| Speed | > 10 mm/s (25 gram load) | > 7 mm/s (250 gram load) |
| Input Power (stopped) | OFF POWER HOLD (0 mW) | OFF POWER HOLD (0 mW) |
| Input Power to motor driver (moving) * | 1 W @ 3.3V, 5mm/s with 10 gram load | 5 W @ 6V, 4mm/s with 100 gram load (Direct Drive) |
| Input Power to controller components (idle) | ~270 mW ( MC-33MB controller) ~30 mW (MC-33DB-RV) |
~270 mW ( MC-33MB controller) |
| Lifetime | > 1 million cycles (15 gram force load at 7mm/s) | >300k cycles (100 gram vertical load at 4mm/s) |
| Operating Temperature |
-30 to +80°C | -30 to +80° C |
| Storage Temperature | -40 to +85°C | -40 to +85° C |
| Cable/Connector | Flex circuit | Flex circuit |
| Motor Controller | “NSD2101″ (see below) | DRV8837 TI (qty 2) |
| Operating Frequency | ~ 171 KHz | ~ 117 KHz |
| Weight, | 0.16 grams | 1.1 grams |
*Power (moving) depends on input voltage, speed and load. Consult the data sheets for typical power curves.
Download the SQL-RV SQUIGGLE motor technical bulletin (PDF)
| Model | NSD2101 Specifications |
|---|---|
| Input Voltage | 2.3 to 5.5 V DC |
| Power*** | “~100 to ~600 mW per motor, depending on voltage and speed, at 15 gram load” |
| Control Signals | I2C serial interface |
| Control Software | n/a |
| Output Signals | “Set of four high-frequency half-bridge control signals (+P1-1, -P1-2, +P2-1, -P2-2).” |
| Position Sensor Input | n/a |
| Commands | n/a |
| Dimensions (l x w x h) | 1.8 x 1.8 x 0.6 mm BGA pkg (4 x 4 x 0.9 mm 16-pin QFN also available) |
*** Power depends on input voltage, speed and load. Consult the technical bulletin for typical power curves.
Download NSD-2101 piezo motor driver data sheet (ams data sheet – PDF)
M3 smart modules, microstages and focus modules
SQUIGGLE motors have excellent position resolution: you can signal the motor to move very small distances, measured in microns or milliradians. However, the motor speed will vary with applied load and device friction. Closed-loop control is recommended for applications requiring exact position, repeatable position, or precise speed.
Our M3 (micro-mechatronic) smart modules deliver this closed-loop control in “all-in-one” microstages, focus modules and other motion systems. We combine our SQUIGGLE motors with precision miniature position sensors to create “ingeniously small” closed-loop actuators and micro stages of 12 x 30 mm or smaller. All drive electronics are in the module – you just provide 3.3V and simple, high-level motion commands over a standard serial interface.
