New Scale Technologies Inc. released the Squiggle RV reduced voltage linear drive system that consists of a SQL-RV-1.8-6-12 Squiggle motor and NSD-2101 drive ASIC. According to the company, it is the industry's first miniature piezo motor drive solution with a driver chip that is smaller than the motor and driven directly from battery power starting at 2.3 VDC without the need for a voltage boost.

The Squiggle RV motor uses multi-layer piezo technology from TDK-EPC to reduce the input voltage requirements, which measures 2.8 x 2.8 x 6 mm. The NSD-2101 driver was developed for this motor in collaboration with austriamicrosystems. It uses integrated circuit designs and patented control systems. The integrated circuit (IC) measures 1.8 x 1.8 mm and drives the Squiggle RV motor directly, without the need for an external boost circuit.

The Squiggle RV linear drive system is more than five times smaller and uses 40 percent less power than comparable electromagnetic linear drive systems. The NSD-2101 accepts direct 2.3 VDC to 5.5 VDC battery power and uses patented full-bridge switching technology to create the ultrasonic motor drive frequency. The IC also has patent pending smart drive features built in that heighten motor performance while minimizing power consumption over a range of operating and environmental conditions. The NSD-2101 requires only DC battery power and digital I2C control commands.

The SQL-RV-1.8 motor achieves forces greater than 50 grams and resolution to 0.5 micrometers. It can run at speeds greater than 7 mm/sec with power consumption of less than 350 mW when moving under typical loading conditions. This corresponds to a DC current of 120 mA for a typical 3 VDC battery. It features a self-locking design, meaning no power is needed to hold the motor position.

"This is a tremendous milestone for the piezo motor industry," says Ralph Weber, product manager at New Scale. "We are the first company to commercialize a piezoelectric motor system that matches the low voltage operation of stepper motors while at the same time using radically less space and power."