Chennifer Chen of PI USA on Advancing Precision Motion Control for Semiconductor Manufacturing and High-Tech Automation

Q. The V-783 combines nanometre-level positioning performance with long travel and high-speed scanning capabilities. What were the key engineering challenges in achieving this balance within a compact monolithic mechanical-bearing design?

One of the primary challenges was simultaneously optimising stiffness, dynamic performance, thermal stability, and geometric accuracy. Traditionally, long-travel stages often sacrifice dynamic response, while high-speed systems can introduce vibration and settling effects that degrade precision. The V-783 addresses these competing requirements through a monolithic mechanical design with carefully optimised structural stiffness, direct-drive ironless linear motors, and high-resolution encoder feedback. The mechanical architecture minimises Abbe errors and unwanted structural resonances while maintaining a compact footprint. Advanced servo tuning and advanced motion control algorithms running on the ACS-based controls, along with NanoPWM, further enable smooth high-speed scanning without compromising nanometer-level positioning performance.

Q. Many high-precision applications have traditionally relied on air-bearing stages. In which applications do you see the V-783 providing the greatest value proposition, and how does it compare with air-bearing alternatives in terms of performance, cost, and ease of deployment?

Air-bearing systems such as PI’s A-322 and customised stages remain the benchmark for certain ultra-high-end applications requiring the ultimate in straightness, flatness, and velocity stability. However, many semiconductor, photonics, metrology, and precision automation applications require performance that approaches air-bearing levels without the complexity of compressed air infrastructure.

The V-783 offers an attractive alternative for applications such as wafer inspection, semiconductor metrology, advanced packaging, photonics assembly, microscopy, and precision manufacturing. It delivers exceptional accuracy, repeatability, and dynamic performance while eliminating the need for air supply systems, filtration, plumbing, and ongoing air-bearing maintenance. This reduces installation complexity and total cost of ownership while maintaining performance that satisfies the requirements of many advanced manufacturing environments.

Q. The stage offers a large 360 × 360 mm open aperture and travel optimised for 300 mm wafer applications. How is the growing demand from semiconductor inspection, metrology, and advanced packaging influencing the development of precision motion platforms?

Semiconductor manufacturing continues to push positioning technology in several directions simultaneously: higher throughput, tighter tolerances, larger substrates, and increasing process complexity. As feature sizes continue to shrink and advanced packaging technologies become more prevalent, motion systems must provide exceptional positioning accuracy over increasingly large work areas.

The 300 mm wafer ecosystem has become a key driver for motion platform development. Inspection and metrology tools require large apertures, excellent geometric performance, and highly repeatable scanning motion while maintaining compatibility with robotic handling systems and automation equipment. These requirements are pushing stage developers toward more integrated designs that combine high precision, high dynamics, large travel ranges, and compact footprints.

Q. Direct-drive brushless ironless linear motors and nanometre-resolution encoders play a central role in the system’s performance. How important are advances in motion control and feedback technologies in meeting the increasingly stringent accuracy requirements of modern manufacturing environments?

PI motion stages are operated with ACS-based control and drive hardware, the gold standard in the semiconductor industry. Motion control and feedback technology have become just as important as the mechanical design itself. Modern positioning systems derive much of their performance from the combination of advanced servo control algorithms, high-bandwidth electronics, and ultra-high-resolution encoder systems.

Nanometer-resolution encoders allow the controller to accurately measure and compensate for even very small motion deviations. At the same time, ironless linear motors eliminate cogging forces and provide exceptionally smooth motion. Combined with advanced feedforward control, disturbance rejection algorithms, and real-time synchronisation, these technologies allow manufacturers to achieve levels of precision and throughput that would have been extremely difficult just a decade ago.

Q. The V-783 can be integrated with PI’s A-800 ACS-based motion controllers to support synchronised multi-axis operation and advanced automation. How are customers leveraging these capabilities to improve throughput, productivity, and process consistency in industrial and semiconductor applications?

Many modern manufacturing processes involve coordinated motion across multiple axes, often synchronised with cameras, sensors, lasers, dispensing systems, or robotic handling equipment. The A-800 controller platform enables deterministic synchronisation between motion, inspection, and process operations.

Customers use these capabilities to reduce cycle times, increase throughput, and improve process repeatability. In semiconductor inspection, for example, synchronised motion allows high-speed scanning while maintaining precise image acquisition timing. In advanced packaging and photonics assembly applications, coordinated motion and process control help improve alignment accuracy and reduce process variability. These capabilities ultimately translate into higher yields, improved productivity, and more consistent manufacturing results.

Q. Looking ahead, what trends do you expect to shape the next generation of precision positioning systems, particularly as industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, photonics, biotechnology, and industrial automation continue to demand higher accuracy, greater throughput, and more intelligent motion control solutions?

Several trends are converging. First, we will continue to see increasing demand for higher throughput without sacrificing precision. This requires lighter, stiffer structures, higher-performance drives, and more sophisticated control systems.  

Second, motion systems are becoming increasingly integrated with machine intelligence. Real-time process feedback, predictive maintenance, AI-assisted optimisation, and adaptive control strategies will play a growing role in improving system performance and uptime.   We also see a rise in the demand for bearingless moton systems such as  Maglev magnetic control technology that allow full 6DOF control of motion without any limitations through mechanical or air bearings.

Third, advanced manufacturing applications are driving demand for tighter integration between motion, metrology, vision systems, and process tools. Future positioning platforms will increasingly function as intelligent subsystems rather than standalone motion devices.

Finally, industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, photonics, biotechnology, and quantum technologies are pushing positioning requirements into the sub-nanometer regime. Meeting these requirements will require continued advances in encoder technology, thermal compensation, active vibration suppression, and system-level motion control architectures. The future will belong to highly integrated, data-driven precision motion systems that combine accuracy, speed, automation, and intelligence in a single platform.