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Amplified Piezo Actuators with embedded Eddy Current Sensor for cryo space De-SPIN mechanism

7 July 2026

Piezoelectric actuators are known as a compact and dynamic solution for space laser pointing applications. Yet, to avoid the use of an HDRM (Hold Down Release Mechanism), the usual maximum load force needs to be increased, which impacts directly on the stroke performances of the actuator. Additionally, the cryogenic environment has a significant impact on the piezoelectric components, mechanical part and integrated sensor performance, especially on strain gauges that present an advantage in compacity and precision but that cannot operate under low temperatures. The ESA funded the De-SPIN Project to address those challenges by designing and testing an actuator based on Amplified Piezoelectric Actuator (APA®) technologies that integrate new features to ensure the cryogenic compatibility, low magnetism and vibration resistance once integrated in a complete Fast Steering Mirror. This actuator can reach a 105μm stroke at -150°C with redundancy and can withstand an 18.04 g-RMS random vibration launch with a 0.125kg payload.
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Bistable Piezoelectric Energy harvester with embedded power management electronics for railway monitoring

7 July 2026

Railway environments present a rich but challenging source of energy harvesting opportunities, thanks to the substantial vibrations, shocks and dynamic loads induced by passing trains and infrastructure deformations. To exploit this energy for powering low-power sensor systems in trackside or onboard applications, a nonlinear approach, namely a bistable energy harvester—offers a promising alternative to conventional linear resonant devices. A bistable harvester employs a mechanical system with two stable equilibrium positions separated by a potential barrier. Under sufficiently large external excitation, the system “jumps” between the two wells, achieving comparatively large amplitude motion and thereby generating more electrical energy over a broader frequency bandwidth. Compared to narrow-band linear harvesters, bistable designs are better suited to the broad, stochastic, and variable vibration spectra typical of railway conditions. The Bistable Piezoelectric Energy Harvester (BPEH) has been designed, tested in lab and installed in railways to monitor the harvested energy.
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new range of light driven actuation devices

New range of light driven actuation devices

12 October 2023

The recent progresses made in the manufacturing of new plasmonic photomobile films are offering innovative solutions for light induced motion actuators and devices. Indeed, such films can be assimilated as transducers thanks to their ability to convert light into displacement with strokes up to several millimeters. By adjusting the incident light parameters (wavelength, exposure time…) the photomobile films actuation can be controlled to answer many applications requesting high displacements and low forces. In these regards, the behaviour of the photomobile films were characterized prior to their integration in more complex devices. Then, several proof-of-concepts of these devices were manufactured to try to bring new functionalities to the market such as light driven optical switch, optical micro-valve, and deflector: – The optical switch features interesting properties in term of electrical insulation by eliminating the dark currents responsible for noise in image sensors. It also exploits the large stroke of the photomobile films to achieve the standard electrical insulation distance versus emitter voltage. – Light driven micro-valves/micro-pumps are suitable for delivering a small quantity of fluids with high precision for example in medical devices. Using this technology, a fluid circuit can be opened and closed when light is switched from on to off (or inversely) without embedded electric power. – Optical deflectors are used widely in optical pointing applications where fast responses and/or high precisions are critical. An appropriate understanding of the photomobile films behaviour enables to control the direction of the beam deflection within large angular ranges.
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Piezo Actuated jet for stealth aircraft applications

7 July 2026

FACELIFT is a European Defense Funded project (101102557) to improve stealthiness and maneuverability compared to the current generation of military assets such as the European MALE-RPAS. This project proposes the use of fluidic actuators to reattach the flow with higher angle of aileron deflection. Sweeping jets and Synthetic jet actuators are as-sessed, first in wind tunnels, then on an aircraft. The piezoelectric Synthetic Jet Actuator (SJA) designed and chosen for this project reached a piston stroke of 2mm at 235Hz, creating a jet speed over 200m/s. Wind tunnel assessment showed that for a flow velocity of 30 m/s and aileron angle of 20°, the SJA can fully reattach the flow on the aileron. This SJA system will be tested in aircraft in flight conditions. The FACELIFT consortium consists of 4 partners: Cedrat Technologies, Berliner Institut für Technologietransfer, ESC DEFENCE and ONERA. Moreover, Pipistrel Vertical Solutions has been chosen as aircraft manufacturer for this project.
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View of 2 inter-satellite links

Piezoelectric Fine Steering Mirrors and electronics for Optical Inter-Satellite Links

7 July 2026

Inter-sat optical links appear as promising technology named Free-Space Optical Communication (FSO) allowing fast communication between satellites in constellations, operating either in LEO, MEO and/or GEO orbits. Each satellite embeds several optical communication terminals (OCT), each one needing two Fast Steering Mirrors (FSM) for laser beam fine and fast steering. Thus, for some giant constellations, the total number of FSM can reach up to 100 000 FSM. This New Space market induces not only technical challenges, such as good SWaP, but also industrial challenges, in particular reproducibility, cost-effectiveness and low cost of ownership vs Orbit segment. To address these various FSM needs, CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES is coordinating the CONECS project, aiming at developing piezo FSM and electronics as New Space COTS for constellations. Its existing products have been used as a starting point, exploiting their heritage: The DTT35XS, the P-FSM150S and the CCBu20 piezo controller. From these products, the project has achieved significant improvements as introduced below.
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Manufacture and properties of first industrial actuators APA® using carbon epoxy SHELLS

12 February 2012

Future aeronautics will more often use electrical actuators in order to replace hydraulic actuators. Existing Amplified Piezo Actuators APA® with steel shell, delivering among the highest mass energy densities, are good candidates. Lighter carbon shells are developed to further increase their efficiency. For helicopters rotor blade application this evolution is almost unavoidable but is also very interesting for other domains. High modulus and high tensile strength carbon fibres shells have been produced by conventional filament winding, tested and compared.
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