Piezosystem Jena has launched the D-Drive Pro, the latest generation of digital control electronics for piezo actuators. These piezoelectric ceramic based actuating systems and piezo stages are used for micro and nano positioning for accurate movement of optical components.
The piezo controller provides 24-bit resolution and simultaneous regulation of three axes with an internal data transfer rate of 50kHz. The output current of a single axis is adjustable up to 300mA. Available interfaces include RS232, USB and Ethernet as well as an analogue modulation input and monitor output.
The D-Drive Pro has a compatible instruction set to that of the existing D-Drive series, and all digital piezo actuators can be controlled via PC. The D-Drive Pro also shares the same features including freely programmable frequency generator, adjustable slew-rate, and notch and low pass filters. The controller allows for the exchanging of actuators in the field through Automatic Sensor Identification and Automatic Sensor Calibration. The device includes an integrated Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and functions like curve tracking or temperature monitoring enable new applications for daily use.