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Aerotech and Micronix form global partnership for motion control

27 August, 2019

Aerotech and Micronix USA have formed a global partnership under which they will offer complementary precision systems for industry and research – in particular, for precision nanopositioning. By working together, the companies hope to expand their core competencies, while advancing the development of new applications which need powerful, user-friendly nanopositioning technologies. They say that by cooperating, they will be able to offer a wider array of stepper motors, controllers, drives and software for positioning applications.

Aerotech manufactures precision motion control components and systems for industrial and laboratory applications, ranging from components such as motors and drives, to multi-axis control systems. Micronix produces miniature adjusters using various drive technologies (linear motor, voice coil and piezo stepper). The company’s core competence lies in producing micro- and nanopositioning components for biomedicine, research, optics and other areas.

Under the strategic partnership, Micronix and Aerotech will distribute and market each other’s products. “The modular approach of Micronix to miniature nanopositioning expands our product portfolio of nanopositioning, and allows us to address additional automation applications,” explains Brian O'Connor, Aerotech’s director of product and market development. He adds that the partnership aligns with Aerotech’s core strategy –  allowing customers to control all kinds of positioning systems using a single control platform that simplifies integration, cuts costs for the user, and increases throughput by coordinating axes with low latency.

Aerotech plans to expand its product configurator to include Micronix piezo products within a few months. It will soon be possible to control Micronix’s stepper and servomotors from Aerotech drives. “Our teams have put increasingly more effort into building a strong foundation for this strategic partnership for the sake of our customers in industry and research,” explains Aerotech’s European director, Simon Smith.

“With Aerotech’s premium product portfolio, Micronix will be able to address applications in our core markets more comprehensively,” adds Micronix president, Manfred Schneider. “We are especially excited to be able to utilise Aerotech’s industry-leading control platform to address complex motion control needs. Additionally, Aerotech’s advanced flexure-based piezo nanopositioners provide a perfect complement to our miniature, long-travel piezo stages.”

Under the partnership, Aerotech and Micronix will market each others' products

The two companies will share stands at the forthcoming Productronica and SPS exhibitions in Germany.

Aerotech, headquartered in Pittsburgh, US, is a family-owned company that was founded in 1970 by Stephen Botos. Aerotech designs and manufactures motion control and positioning systems for industrial, scientific and research customers. It employs about 500 people worldwide and owns a subsidiary in Germany.

Micronix USA, founded in 2006, develops and sells precision motion systems. It specialises mainly in miniature components for micro and nanopositioning for biomedicine and research. Its specialities include linear and rotary tables with millimetre or milli-degree lift, which are said to be “significantly smaller” than conventional components.




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