What Dynamic Structures and Materials, LLC does

Dynamic Structures and Materials, LLC (DSM) is a privately held US manufacturer of micropositioning and nanopositioning devices founded in 1998 and headquartered in a single ISO9001:2015-certified facility at 114 SE Parkway Ct, Ste. 160, Franklin, Tennessee, with 11-50 employees. Its technology platform is built around piezoelectric actuators using lead zirconate titanate (PZT) stacks combined with proprietary solid-state flexure-guided kinematic mechanisms that deliver stiction-free, backlash-free, lubrication-free motion across travel ranges from 25μm to 10mm with blocking forces up to ~1,165N. The product portfolio spans five actuator families (FPA, NA, LPA, LFPA, PSA), nanopositioning stages (XSA, ZSA), integrated ultrasonic motors with onboard encoders and controllers (SUM-40, SUM-40NM, I-20), piezo shutters for beamline control (XRS1), and supporting electronics including open-loop piezo amplifiers (VF series), a closed-loop servo amplifier (SA-500), and motor drivers (MD-90, UMD3.1).

DSM monetizes through a hybrid model combining direct e-commerce catalog sales of standard SKUs (unit pricing ranging from ~$681 for FPA units at volume to ~$19,600 for the ZSA-1000C stage, with tiered volume discounts) alongside higher-margin custom-engineered solutions such as the Control Actuation System (CAS), hexapods, goniometer stages, and piezo valve actuators. Custom work appears largely funded through US government contracts — disclosed engagements include an SBIR-funded hexapod for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, a 12-foot Vertical Linear Accelerator for the Naval Medical Research Unit-Dayton at Wright-Patterson AFB, and a robotic goniometer for NIST. Three commercial revenue streams supplement product sales: LabVIEW consulting (via a National Instruments Alliance Partnership and Certified LabVIEW Developer staff), precision machining services, and testing/repair services for piezo devices, all executed at the Franklin facility.

Customer segments span Defense & Government (primary, with CMMC Level 2 C3PAO certification as of Feb 2026 enabling CUI handling), semiconductor manufacturing, medical device/instrumentation, science & research institutions (NIST, University of Illinois), aerospace, and optics/photonics. The company's three named principals are Dr. Jeff Paine (Owner), Jim Bickmore (President), and Josh Sesler (CEO); there is no disclosed venture capital or private equity backing, consistent with a founder-owned/bootstrapped operating profile. Strategic positioning emphasizes US-based manufacturing, deep customization capability for geometric, magnetic, vacuum, and temperature extremes, and integration of mechanics, electronics, and software into single-vendor systems.

Name

Dynamic Structures and Materials, LLC

Legal name

Dynamic Structures & Materials, Inc.

Website

https://dynamic-structures.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dynamic Structures and Materials, LLC is a Franklin, Tennessee-based privately held manufacturer of piezoelectric micro- and nanopositioning actuators, stages, motors, shutters, and custom control actuation systems serving US defense, government research, semiconductor, medical, and photonics customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Motion Components (Piezoelectric Actuators and Nanopositioning)

NAICS

Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314), Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

Motors & Generators (3621), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Motion Control Controllers & CNC/Robot Drives (Motion Controllers, Multi-axis) (IMAGACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Strapping & Banding Machines (IMAHAOAM), Sensors, MEMS & Imaging ICs (HDAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Piezoelectric actuators
• Nanopositioning stages
• Precision motion control
• Ultrasonic motors
• Flexure-guided positioning

Headquarters

HQ city

Franklin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Standard Product Sales: Direct sales of catalog precision motion products including piezo actuators, stages, motors, shutters, and drivers. Products are manufactured in Franklin, TN and sold through e-commerce storefront with volume-based tiered pricing.
2. Custom Solutions & Systems: Custom-engineered systems based on core technologies including Control Actuation Systems, Piezo Valve Actuators, Hexapods, Goniometer Stages, and custom defense solutions.
3. LabVIEW Consulting Services: National Instruments Alliance Partner offering LabVIEW consulting services specializing in motion control. Services can be combined with electronics and mechanical design expertise.
4. Precision Machining Services: US-based precision machining services supporting product manufacturing and custom solutions.
5. Testing Services: Testing services for piezo devices and precision motion systems.
6. Piezo Device Repair: Repair services for piezo devices and motion control equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Dynamic Structures and Materials (DSM) designs, manufactures, and sells precision piezoelectric motion products, including flexure-guided actuators, nanopositioning stages, ultrasonic motors, piezo shutters, motor drivers, and supporting electronics. The company also produces custom defense-oriented systems such as Control Actuation Systems, Hexapods, and Goniometer Stages, and offers LabVIEW motion-control consulting, precision machining, testing, and piezo device repair services. All standard products and most custom systems are designed, manufactured, and assembled at DSM's ISO9001:2015 and CMMC Level 2 certified facility in Franklin, Tennessee, and sold direct worldwide.

Product overview

Dynamic Structures and Materials (DSM) is a precision motion products provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of piezoelectric actuators, stages, motors, drivers, and custom solutions. The product portfolio centers on core piezoelectric technology with multiple actuator series (FPA, NA, LPA, LFPA, PSA) providing travel ranges from 25 micrometers to 10mm, complemented by nanopositioning stages (XSA, ZSA series) and ultrasonic motors (SUM-40, SUM-40NM). Supporting electronics include open-loop and closed-loop piezo amplifiers (VF, SA series), motor drivers (MD-90, UMD3.1), and the I-20 linear piezo motor. Specialty products include high-speed piezo shutters (XRS1 series), custom hexapods, goniometer stages, and Control Actuation Systems for defense applications. DSM also offers integrated services including LabVIEW consulting, device repair, testing, and precision machining—all designed, manufactured, and assembled in Franklin, TN, USA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FlexFrame PiezoActuators: Customizable piezo actuators for various geometric and weight constraints including extreme temperature, non-magnetic and vacuum requirements.
• LabVIEW Consulting Services
• Control Actuation System (CAS)

Products and services

• FPA Series Flexure-Guided Piezoelectric Actuators Flexure-guided piezoelectric actuators useful for both dynamic and static applications, available in expansion (E) and contraction (C) versions with travel ranges from 85 to 2100 micrometers, suitable for precision motion applications including semiconductor, research, and defense uses.
• NA Series Direct-Drive Piezoelectric Actuators Direct-drive piezoelectric actuators integrated into a protective metallic frame with a flexure-based expansion component for minimal resistance to actuation, designed for high-precision static and dynamic positioning.
• LPA Series Leveraged Piezoelectric Actuators Piezoelectric actuators designed for large travel range applications, constructed of titanium and non-ferromagnetic materials for use in high magnetic field environments such as MRI and other magnetized settings.
• LFPA Series Large-Travel Piezoelectric Actuators Two-stage amplification piezoelectric actuators designed for large travel range applications up to 10 mm, constructed of titanium for high magnetic field compatibility.
• PSA Series High-Frequency Piezoelectric Actuators High-frequency piezoelectric actuators with linear contracting motion and minimal moving mass, yielding exceptionally high resonant frequency for adaptive systems, nanoimprint processes, and machine tools.
• XSA Series Nanopositioning Piezoelectric Stages Flexure-guided nanopositioning stages with travel ranges from 200 micrometers and parallel motion with minimal pitch and yaw, designed for scanning, metrology, and inspection applications.
• ZSA Series Z-Stage Nanopositioning Flexure-guided nanopositioning Z-stages with 1000 micrometer travel range, a compact 25 mm height design, and an integrated capacitive probe for true nanopositioning motion control.
• VF Series Open-Loop Piezo Amplifiers Linear piezo amplifiers providing voltage amplification for driving piezoelectric devices, with the VF-90 delivering 90 mA in a compact form factor and the VF-500 providing 500 mA maximum continuous current.
• SA-500 Closed-Loop Servo Amplifier Servo amplifier with communication, I/O, and stand-alone servo control capabilities for closed-loop positioning with analog or digital feedback.
• MD-90 Motor Driver Two-channel linear amplifier for operating the I-20 piezo motor, functioning as a motor driver with quadrature encoder feedback or as a piezo device amplifier with analog feedback.
• UMD3.1 Ultrasonic Motor Driver Three-channel motor driver designed for SUM-40NM non-magnetic motors, capable of powering 1, 2, or 3 motors with USB connection and ASCII command interface.
• SUM-40 Smart Ultrasonic Motor Direct-drive piezo ultrasonic motor with integrated amplifier, controller, and optical encoder for closed-loop control, providing 50 mN-m continuous torque and 130 microradian resolution in a NEMA 17 frame size.
• SUM-40NM Non-Magnetic Smart Ultrasonic Motor Non-magnetic version of the SUM-40 Smart Ultrasonic Motor for MRI and magnetic-field environments, providing 50 mN-m continuous torque and 130 microradian resolution.
• I-20 Piezo Linear Motor High-precision piezo linear stage combining a step-and-repeat piezo motor, non-magnetic crossed roller bearings, and a high-resolution linear encoder, usable as a precision linear stage or actuator in vacuum- and non-magnetic-compatible configurations.
• XRS1 Series Piezo Shutters Rapid-response piezo shutters using opposed actuators for beamline control, available in apertures from 800 to 2500 micrometers with ultra-high vacuum compatibility options.
• Piezo Valve Actuators Custom piezoelectric valve actuators for precise fluid control applications, including sub-millisecond actuation for Small-scale Ballistic Cavitation testing devices.
• Control Actuation System (CAS) Advanced defense control actuation system solutions designed for enhanced precision and superior size and weight characteristics, with demonstrated flight-test validation at Yuma Proving Ground for defense and government customers.
• Goniometer Stages Custom goniometer stages for precision angular positioning applications, including a NIST-validated robotic goniometer using a Stäubli TX60 robot with CS8C controller.
• Hexapods Parallel-kinematic positioning systems with six degrees of freedom developed for compliance-based medical imaging, surgical interventions, and defense applications.
• LabVIEW Consulting Services Specialized LabVIEW consulting for motion control applications, delivered by a Certified LabVIEW Developer (CLD) as part of the National Instruments Alliance Partner program, including software libraries for robot integration.
• Piezo Device Repair Service Repair and maintenance services for piezoelectric devices and motion control equipment.
• Testing Services Testing services for precision motion systems and piezoelectric devices.
• Precision Machining Services U.S.-based precision machining services for custom components and assemblies supporting product manufacturing and custom solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Travel ranges from 25μm to 10,000μm available
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sandia National Laboratories / Department of EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 January 2023DSM became part of the Sandia National Laboratories/DOE Mentor-Protégé Program in January 2023. This program helps small businesses develop as DOE contractors by pairing them with Sandia mentors. DSM provides precision motion systems and related electronics along with design and manufacturing services to support Sandia mission areas.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PI (Physik Instrumente): Global market leader in piezo-based nanopositioning systems and precision motion controllers. Direct competitor to DSM's FPA, NA, LPA, and XSA/ZSA product lines across semiconductor, photonics, and research customers.
• Aerotech: Manufacturer of high-precision motion stages, controllers, and drives for semiconductor, medical, and research applications. Overlaps directly with DSM's nanopositioning stages and custom multi-axis solutions.
• SmarAct: Specializes in piezo-driven nanopositioning and micro-robotics for optics, life sciences, and semiconductor metrology. Closely comparable to DSM on technology (piezo stick-slip and ultrasonic motors) and customer base.
• Mad City Labs: Designs and manufactures nanopositioning stages and AFM systems using flexure-guided piezo technology. Competes head-to-head with DSM in microscopy, photonics, and high-resolution positioning.
• nPoint (Bruker Nano Surfaces): Piezo nanopositioning stages and controllers for AFM, semiconductor inspection, and optics. Now part of Bruker, it competes with DSM in flexure-guided stage and controller categories.
• Cedrat Technologies: Piezoelectric actuators, motors, and mechatronic systems with strong overlap in defense, space, and scientific instrumentation. Competes with DSM's flextensional and piezo motor product lines.
• Steinmeyer Mechatronik: Manufactures precision positioning stages and piezo-driven systems for semiconductor metrology and medical technology. Direct overlap with DSM in flexure-guided multi-axis stages.
• attocube systems: Nanopositioning, cryogenic, and ultra-high-vacuum motion systems. Directly comparable to DSM's UHV shutters, nanopositioning stages, and non-magnetic variants for research and quantum applications.

Broad incumbents

• Thorlabs: Broadline photonics and motion-control supplier with piezo stages, motors, and shutters covering much of DSM's research and OEM customer base. Larger portfolio but less specialized than DSM in custom defense actuation.

Emerging players

• New Scale Technologies: Developer of miniature piezoelectric motors and embedded motion modules. Comparable in core ultrasonic/piezo motor technology to DSM's SUM-40, with overlap in small-form-factor OEM applications.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dynamic Structures and Materials, LLC