Physik Instrumente (PI) uses piezoceramic ultrasonic linear motors in many of its PILine positioning systems. This gives the stages not only a much lower profile but also makes them faster than comparable systems with motor/spindle drives.

PI manufactures low-profile XY stages with a profile height of less than 30 mm across the whole surface of the stage - there are no lead screw ducts, no flanged motors. A speed of 100 mm/s can be achieved at a resolution of up to 0.1 µm.