PI Ceramic develops and produces standard and customised piezo components, assemblies and actuators for high-tech markets such as medical technology, industrial automation, high-precision and mechanical engineering, as well as the semiconductor industry.
As a leading player in the field of piezo technology, the company offers a broad range of expertise in the complex development and manufacturing of functional ceramic components. State-of-the-art production equipment ensures high quality, flexibility and adherence to supply deadlines for prototypes and small series, as well as large-scale production in automated lines.
Piezoceramic components for medical technology
PI Ceramic manufactures piezoelectric components in all shapes and sizes. Tubes, plates, blocks, discs, rings, spheres and hemispheres can be produced with various electrode materials and configurations. Measuring less than 1mm, the miniature components are suitable for applications in very limited spaces. The components create motion and therefore realise adaptive fine adjustments to miniaturised optical elements.
Tiny piezo tubes, for example, are suitable for the finest actuator applications and can be used in medical technology. Due to their design, including segmented electrodes, piezoelectric tubes can be used as actuators in fibre optics such as endoscopes to improve the image quality. Additionally, miniaturised tubes can be used for precision-dosing applications using the ink-jet principle.
Plug and play: piezo components with flexible PCBs
PI Ceramic not only develops application-specific piezo components but also designs printed circuit boards (PCBs) and connects the two elements by soldering or glue. This saves customers a time-consuming and fault-prone step of production.
If carried out without the required expertise, the soldering process can affect the piezoelectric properties of the components. PI Ceramic offers this ready-to-use option, ensuring a consistent product quality.
Pumping and dosing with PICMA® Multilayer Piezo Actuators
The patented piezoelectric PICMA® Multilayer Piezo Actuators are covered by an all-ceramic insulation layer and protected against humidity, resulting in a superior lifespan. Therefore, the monolithic PICMA® Multilayer Piezo Actuators achieve enhanced reliability even under extreme ambient conditions.
Due to their low operating voltage, instantaneous displacement and high forces, PICMAs can be used in various medical pumping and dispensing applications like precision dosing or cell sorting. Even in limited space, the miniaturised PICMA® Chip actuators enable extreme fast picoliter precise droplet generation.
Nevertheless, PICMA® Multilayer Piezo Actuators are available in various designs with different displacement modes. In addition to working with longitudinal displacement, various customised PICMA® Benders operate in two-dimensional motion and execute a millimetre displacement so they can be used for vale and pumping functions suitable for lab-on-a-chip devices.
Customised piezoelectric sub-assemblies and transducers
Due to PI Ceramic’s experience of glueing and soldering technologies, we also develop customised sub-assemblies and complete ultrasonic transducers in cooperation with the customer. Our technological capabilities include contacting with wires and laces, glueing of components on membranes or substrates, as well as the production of small to medium series transducers.
All process steps are united under one roof and the cleanroom environment offers best conditions for medical technology component manufacturing. The PI ceramic transducers work with frequencies up to several megahertz. Therefore, they can be used for flow and filling level measurement as well as air bubble detection.
About PI Ceramic GmbH
PI Ceramic is a subordinate of Physik Instrumente (PI) GmbH & Co. KG and situated in Lederhose, Germany. It currently employs more than 330 staff, including 80 engineers, in piezo research, development and manufacturing. For small series production, higher refinement, new technologies and special shapes, the PI Ceramic Tech Centre was created so customers can quickly and easily qualify samples for their specific projects.