Micromotion GmbH
| Limited liability company (GmbH) | |
| ISIN | 🆔 |
| Industry | Microtechnology |
| Founded 📆 | 2001 |
| Founder 👔 | |
| Headquarters 🏙️ | Limburg an der Lahn, Germany |
Area served 🗺️ | |
Key people |
|
| Products 📟 | Micro drive systems (Micro Harmonic Drive®) |
| Members | |
Number of employees | |
| 🌐 Website | www.micromotion-drives.com |
| 📇 Address | |
| 📞 telephone | |
Micromotion GmbH is a German company in the field of microtechnology, headquartered in Limburg an der Lahn, Hesse. The company is a pioneer in the development and production of backlash-free and high-precision micro gear systems manufactured using the LIGA process (Lithography, Electroplating, and Molding). Micromotion was founded in 2001 as a spin-off from the Institute for Microtechnology Mainz (IMM) and Harmonic Drive AG.[1][2]
History
The LIGA process was developed in the 1990s at the Institute for Microtechnology Mainz and the Karlsruhe Research Center to manufacture metallic microstructures with high precision.[3] Together with Harmonic Drive AG, the vision emerged to create backlash-free micro gears based on the Harmonic Drive principle with reduction ratios up to 1000:1 in a compact design using the LIGA process. In 2001, Micromotion GmbH was founded in Mainz to transfer the technology into industrial applications.[1][2]
Products and technologies
Micromotion specializes in the development and series production of micro positioning systems based on low-backlash micro planetary gears and backlash-free Micro Harmonic Drive® gears. Key features include:
- Backlash-free operation and high reduction ratios (120:1 to 1000:1) with outer diameters of ≤ 10 mm[2]
- Gear tooth structures in the micrometer range (e.g., tooth widths of 50–60 µm)[2]
- Application of Direct-LIGA technology for manufacturing high-precision metallic micro components[1][4]
The micro gears produced by the LIGA process are the key components in Micromotion’s micro positioning drives. They can be combined with encoders, electric motors, or ball screws to form high-precision positioning systems. In most cases, these drive systems are integrated into customer-specific subassemblies to enable precise and space-optimized positioning tasks, both rotational and linear. Due to this manufacturing technology, repeatability in the range of arcseconds and nanometers can be achieved at minimal dimensions. Applications include medical technology, the semiconductor industry, optics, and spaceflight.[4]
Corporate structure
Micromotion GmbH is a subsidiary of Harmonic Drive SE, headquartered in Limburg an der Lahn, Hesse.
Significance
Micromotion GmbH is considered a pioneer in the industrial application of the LIGA process. Its encyclopedic relevance is underlined by its mention in the Brockhaus Enzyklopädie "Technologies of the 21st Century". Industry reports and scientific publications highlight the company’s role in transforming the LIGA process into a serially applicable manufacturing process for key components of micro drive systems used in high-precision positioning.[3][2][1] Micromotion is also counted among the "hidden champions" of microtechnology in Rhineland-Palatinate.[3]
Independent sources describe Micromotion as a technologically significant player in the industrialization of the LIGA process:
- The IVAM Microtechnology Network emphasizes that the company manufactures the “world’s smallest backlash-free precision gears” using Direct-LIGA, for applications in medicine, optics, semiconductor production, aerospace, and ultra-high-vacuum or sterilizable environments. These micro positioning systems reach nanometer-level resolution.[5]
- According to the Investitions- und Strukturbank Rheinland-Pfalz (ISB), Micromotion’s “world’s smallest micro precision gear” was even mentioned in the Brockhaus. The company also received the 2003 Rhineland-Palatinate Innovation Award.[6]
- The magazine Sensor describes Micromotion as a "hidden champion" whose micro-precision gears – some smaller than a human hair – are used in precision-critical sectors such as medicine, optics, semiconductors, and aerospace.[7]
Publications
Several scientific publications and technical papers have addressed the industrial use of the LIGA process for manufacturing micro gears, particularly the development and applications of the Micro Harmonic Drive® system.[8][9][10]
Notable examples include:
- Micro-mechatronic drives for high-dynamic and high-accuracy positioning tasks (Microsystem Technology Congress, 2005, with R. Slatter)[11]
- High Speed and Low Weight Micro Actuators for High Precision Assembly Applications (IPAS 2006, with R. Slatter)[9]
- From Mini to Micro Gear using Direct-LIGA (1st GMM Workshop, 2007, with U. Kirsch)[8]
- Precision micro positioning systems based on the Micro Harmonic Drive® (GMM/ETG Conference, 2007)[12]
- Direct-LIGA NiFe gears with extreme aspect ratios for Micro Harmonic Drive® systems (Microsystem Technology Congress, 2007, with U. Kirsch et al.)[13]
- Precision positioning down to single nanometres based on Micro Harmonic Drive systems (IPAS 2008, with A. Staiger)[10]
- Extreme aspect ratio NiFe gear wheels for the production of commercially available Micro Harmonic Drive® gears (Microsystem Technologies, 2008, with B. Loechel et al.)[14]
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "From Mini to Micro Gear using Direct-LIGA". VDE Verlag. 2007. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Big rush for small actuators". Industrieanzeiger. 2001. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "World market leaders in secret – visiting Mainz hidden champions". Sensor Magazin. 2015. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Micromotion GmbH – member profile". IVAM – Microtechnology Association. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ↑ "Micromotion GmbH – member profile". IVAM – Microtechnology Association. Retrieved 2025-08-19.
- ↑ "Mainzer Micromotion GmbH: Successful start through ISB technology funding". ISB / Ministry of Economics Rhineland-Palatinate. 2005-01-03. Retrieved 2025-08-19.
- ↑ "World market leaders in secret – visiting Mainz hidden champions". Sensor Magazin. Retrieved 2025-08-19.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "From Mini to Micro Gear using Direct-LIGA". VDE Verlag. 2007. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 R. Degen, R. Slatter. "High Speed and Low Weight Micro Actuators for High Precision Assembly Applications". IPAS 2006. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 A. Staiger, R. Degen. "Precision Positioning down to Single Nanometres Based on Micro Harmonic Drive Systems". IPAS 2008. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ↑ "Micro-mechatronic drives for high-dynamic and high-accuracy positioning tasks". Microsystem Technology Congress. 2005. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ↑ "Precision micro positioning systems based on the Micro Harmonic Drive®". VDE Verlag. 2007. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ↑ "Direct-LIGA NiFe gears with extreme aspect ratios for Micro Harmonic Drive®". Microsystem Technology Congress. 2007. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
- ↑ "Extreme aspect ratio NiFe gear wheels for the production of commercially available Micro Harmonic Drive® gears". Microsystem Technologies. 2008. Retrieved 2025-08-18.
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