Squiggle motors

https://www.newscaletech.com/resources/technology/squiggle-micro-motor-technology/

**LINK**

One for Michael Gilligan, just the job for microscope stages?

How interesting! Small motors are fascinating.

A few years ago when I was into photography I remember being impressed with Canon's ultrasonic range of lenses. I never looked into it enough to find out if they were genuinely powered by ultrasonic waves as some claimed (which seems unlikely but possible). I guess I know what I'm googling this afternoon.

Excellent, John … thanks for the link

MichaelG.

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Edit: __ Worth noting that: SQUIGGLE motors are an enabling technology, available only within an M3 Module or custom solution.https://www.newscaletech.com/micro-motion-modules/

so here’s the shop window:

 https://www.newscaletech.com/micro-motion-modules/

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 23/07/2023 09:27:25

Those piezo motors are very useful for small spaces and are quite cost effective. I’ve used them a couple of times on projects at work for positioning and very fine control is achievable due to the minute step size. You can think of them as tiny powered ratchet mechanisms arranged either linearly or in a ring. Each piezo element is arranged so as to contact the driven surface at an angle. When a voltage pulse is applied the piezo chips action is to move the driven surface forwards and slide back on the return part of the stroke. Think of it as having two different frictions higher in the drive direction. To allow bidirectional movement and to create the other frictional part of the ratchet two rows of piezo motor elements are arranged in opposition.

Positional feedback, at least on my projects which were microscope stages and filter actuators, is by optoelectronic scales.

As the motors are essentially piezo chips soldered to PCBs they are very easily designed to make in whatever size and shape you wish. We discovered that the company we used would and did make a motor to our spec as a one off.

They don’t handle loads except for the force produced in the driving direction so bearings etc have to be designed in to the device that the motor is fitted in.

For camera focusing rings they could be termed ultrasonic as the piezo chips are actuated at those sort of frequencies. Each ‘step’ is tiny so to move fast the signal frequency needs to be high.

I was impressed with them.

regards Martin

Edited By Martin Kyte on 23/07/2023 10:01:47

For those interested there's details of these motors referred to as" Inchworm" on Wikipedia.

CS

Hi Martin

Like your post re the Squiggle motors. I know nothing about these as yet but would to learn for model railway projects.

Firstly the double ended shaft model rotary style. Are they capable of about 30 rpm?

Can these motors be controlled by a processor like Arduino or ESP32 etc. Run 2 or more at a time.

What power supply is required, for onboard item.

Basically for driving a small model vehicle or locomotive.

For experiementing with.

Do you have any example or videos of your project with micro etc

Thankyou

Charles Harris

Retired(79 yo)

New Zealand