PI Ceramic: New Production Line for Multilayer Tape Technology Installed
PI Ceramic invested just under one million euros in a new production line for the manufacture of PICMA Multilayer bending actuators and PICMA Multilayer linear actuators. The production line that has now been installed cuts in half the time needed for the manufacture of customer samples, accelerating the development of systems for customers considerably. Furthermore, small-scale series can be produced flexibly and economically with the new system.
In addition to this, the production line provides end-to-end traceability of the intermediate products. This is indispensable when the products are used in medical technology, for example.
Three manufacturing stations seamlessly mesh with each other
In detail, the system consists of three stations: In the sheet cutter, the molded ceramic tapes are cut precisely to the individual tape sizes required. In the screen printer, the individual tapes are printed with inner electrode paste using the screenprinting method and then dried along a drying line. The third unit, the stacker, separates the ceramic tape from its carrier tape before stacking and pressing it. In this context, a standardized cartridge system ensures efficient handling of the tapes between the stations.
Strategic investment
“With the combination of the existing line for large-scale series production and the new one for small-scale series, PI Ceramic has the most modern and flexible portfolio of machinery worldwide for manufacturing piezoceramic multilayer actuators,” says Managing Director Dr. Patrick Pertsch, emphasizing the importance of the investment. “This technology forms the basis for reinforcing and expanding the position of the entire PI Group as global market leader for piezo-based nanopositioning technology and, at the same time, strengthens PI Ceramic’s standing as reliable quality supplier of customized piezoceramic multilayer components,” Pertsch further explains.
Diese Technologie bildet die Basis zur Festigung und zum Ausbau der Stellung der gesamten PI Group als Weltmarktführer für piezobasierte Nanopositioniertechnik und stärkt gleichzeitig die Position von PI Ceramic als zuverlässiger Qualitätslieferant von kundenspezifischen piezokeramischen Multilayer-Komponenten.
The investment is a further milestone in PI Ceramic’s growth strategy, which had already necessitated the construction of a new building providing additional floorspace totaling 7500 square meters in fall 2022.
Contact persons: Dr. Patrick Pertsch and Daniel Kopsch
