mechOnics
mechOnics AG is a German privately-held precision engineering company that designs and sells piezoelectric inertial-drive micropositioning stages, controllers, and the NOVA-Bus platform for nanometer-resolution positioning in research, semiconductor, optics, biotech, and cryogenic/UHV applications.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersMünchen, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What mechOnics does
mechOnics AG is a German privately-held precision micropositioning company founded in 2003 in Munich and now headquartered at Technologiepark 21 in Paderborn. The company designs and manufactures piezoelectric inertial-drive translation stages, 3D XYZ positioners, fiber couplers, mirror tilting stages, and cryogenic-compatible positioners, with sub-nanometer (1nm) resolution, travel ranges from a few millimeters up to 50mm, and the ability to operate in environments ranging from standard laboratory conditions to ultra-high vacuum (10^-9 mbar) and cryogenic temperatures down to 4K. Its core technology is protected by patents covering the underlying inertial-drive concept and extreme-environment operation, and is differentiated from conventional positioning systems by ultra-compact form factors (footprints as small as 15x15mm) and a proprietary NOVA-Bus architecture — a CAN-based platform with integrated 5V/42V power delivery and a unified driver/software stack (NOVA-Server, NOVA-Stack, CClientdll.dll) that exposes control to C/C++, C#, and LabVIEW environments. The most recent product generation, the DSP50 multi-phase linear stage with Renishaw encoder integration, was launched in October 2024, and the NOVA5 ecosystem extends the platform into precision measurement instruments (isolated I-V recorder, source meter, optical powermeter, stepper controller).
The company monetizes exclusively through direct hardware sales of configured positioners, controllers, and NOVA/NOVA5 modules via a quote-based 'non-binding request' inquiry process on its website — there is no e-commerce, no disclosed pricing, and no third-party distribution network. Customers are horizontally distributed across research institutions (university and government labs), industrial manufacturing (semiconductor metrology, laser systems), electron microscopy, physics and optics laboratories, biotechnology, chemistry, and extreme-environment applications including space and cryogenics. Go-to-market relies on a detailed product website, application-sample content, newsletter subscription, and recurring co-exhibition presence at German Physical Society (DPG) meetings alongside SI Scientific Instruments GmbH. Leadership comprises CEO Hubert Münzer and Chairman of the Supervisory Board Prof. Dr. Artur Zrenner; the company has no disclosed external investors, no funding rounds, no subsidiaries, and no acquisitions on record, indicating an independently-held niche instrumentation business with a 20+ year operating history and a current headcount of 1-10.
mechOnics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- mechOnics
- Legal name
- mechOnics ag
- Website
- https://mechonics.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- mechOnics AG is a German privately-held precision engineering company that designs and sells piezoelectric inertial-drive micropositioning stages, controllers, and the NOVA-Bus platform for nanometer-resolution positioning in research, semiconductor, optics, biotech, and cryogenic/UHV applications.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
mechOnics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Precision Positioning Instruments
- NAICS
- Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)
- SIC
- Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)
- akta.pro primary industry
- MEMS Actuators & Micro-Mechanisms (Micromirrors/Microfluidics) (HDAHALAJ)
Keywords
Where mechOnics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- München
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
mechOnics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Positioner Sales: Sale of precision micropositioning stages including MS15, MS30, MS38, DS30, DS40, MX25, MX35 series in standard, vacuum, and UHV editions. Also includes DSP50 multi-phase linear stages and NOVA system positioners.
- Electronics and Controllers: Sale of controllers and electronics including CF30, CH30 handheld controller, CU30 Closed Loop, and NOVA system controllers (NC6, NC3, NC6 NOVA5). Also includes servo controllers (NDMS1, NDES1) and specialized controllers (NDEM3, NDEF3).
- NOVA5 Ecosystem Devices: Sale of NOVA5 platform devices including power sources, stepper controllers, isolated precision I-V recorders, source meters, and optical powermeters.
- Custom System Integration: Complete automated and integrated solutions for low temperature positioning, including system design and customization services for specific application requirements.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
mechOnics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
mechOnics designs and manufactures precision micropositioning translation stages, piezo motor controllers, and the proprietary NOVA bus-based control architecture for micro/nanopositioning applications. The product portfolio spans miniature linear stages (MS/DS series), 3D XYZ positioners (MX series), fiber couplers and mirror tilting stages, handheld and closed-loop controllers (CF30, CH30, CU30), and a NOVA device ecosystem including multi-phase stages and low-temperature controllers. Products are offered in standard, high-vacuum, ultra-high-vacuum (down to 10^-9 mbar), and cryogenic (down to 4K) variants for research and industrial customers.
Product overview
mechOnics (Mechonics AG) is a precision micropositioning company founded in 2003 in Munich/Paderborn, Germany, specializing in microsystem technology and mechatronic systems. The product portfolio is organized into three main categories: Positioners (micro/nanoprecision translation stages), Electronics (motor controllers), and the proprietary NOVA-Bus System. Positioners include the MS15, MS30, MS38, DS30, DS40 series (linear stages), MX25/MX35 (3D XYZ stages), MK25 (fiber couplers), MT25 (mirror tilting stages), and ML17 (low temperature positioners), all using piezoelectric inertial drive technology. Electronics comprise the CF30 (USB/RS485 controller), CH30 (handheld controller), and CU30 (closed loop controller). The NOVA-Bus System is a proprietary CAN-based platform connecting positioners and controllers with centralized power delivery (5V and 42V lines), featuring NOVA-Controllers (NC6, NC3), NOVA devices (DSP50, NDS70, NDS40 positioners; NDMS1, NDES1, NDEM3, NDEF3 controllers), and the newer NOVA5 ecosystem with precision measurement instruments. The company serves applications in chemistry, physics, biotechnology, electronics, optics, vacuum, cryogenics, and basic research, offering products for standard, high vacuum (HV up to 10^-6 mbar), and ultra-high vacuum (UHV up to 10^-9 mbar) environments, as well as cryogenic temperatures down to 4K.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- NOVA-System: A proprietary BUS-System developed by mechOnics to connect different micro positioning devices together with centralized power delivery and unified driver architecture.
Products and services
- MS15 Series Miniature Translation Stages Ultra-small miniature translation stages with piezoelectric inertial drive, available in 3.5mm and 10mm travel variants with compact 15x15mm or 22x15mm footprints. XY and XYZ combinations offered in standard, high vacuum (HV), and ultra-high vacuum (UHV) editions for research and industrial customers requiring nanometer positioning in confined setups.
- MS30 Series Miniature Translation Stages Miniature translation stages with piezoelectric inertial drive in 8mm, 18mm, and 30mm travel variants at 30x30mm to 30x52mm footprints. Models with integrated measuring systems deliver resolution down to 50nm; XY and XYZ combinations are offered in standard, HV, and UHV editions for laboratory and industrial precision positioning.
- MS38 Series Free-Aperture Translation Stages Miniature translation stages with piezoelectric inertial drive featuring a 10mm free aperture for ray passage and special optical system design. 8mm travel at 38x42mm footprint; available in standard, HV, and UHV editions for optical experiments and beamline applications.
- DS30 Series Closed-Housing Translation Stages Closed-housing miniature translation stages with a particularly flat 10mm height and piezoelectric inertial drive, providing 8mm travel. Available in standard, HV, and UHV editions for applications requiring protected, low-profile positioning stages.
- DS40 Series Closed-Housing Translation Stages Closed-housing miniature translation stages with flat 11mm height and piezoelectric inertial drive, providing 11mm travel at a 40x40mm footprint. Available in standard, HV, and UHV editions for compact precision positioning applications.
- MX25 Series 3D XYZ Positioners Compact 3D XYZ positioners with piezoelectric inertial drive offering 2mm travel in x, y, and z directions at a 35x25mm footprint. Designed for optical devices and samples; available in standard, HV, and UHV editions.
- MX35 Series 3D XYZ Positioners 3D XYZ positioners with 10mm travel in x, y, and z directions at a 35x45mm footprint. Compact design for various applications; available in standard and vacuum editions.
- MK25 Fiber Coupler Series Miniature monomode fiber coupler stages with piezoelectric inertial motor, available with FC or SMA connectors and numerical apertures of 0.4 or 0.38. Triaxial design for fiber alignment applications; available in standard and vacuum editions.
- MT25 Mirror Tilting Stage Kinematical mirror tilting stage with piezoelectric inertial drive providing ±3 degrees angular adjustment in two axes. Designed for mirrors with 12.7mm diameter and 9mm free opening; available in standard and vacuum editions with optional mirror adapter.
- ML17 Low Temperature Positioner Miniature translation stage designed for ultra-low temperature applications down to 4K, providing 5mm travel at a 17x32mm footprint. UHV edition enables operation in ultra-high vacuum environments for cryogenic experiments.
- CF30 USB/RS485 Controller USB/RS485 controller for piezoelectric inertial positioners operating up to 3 axes with special waveforms for smooth movement. Full step size approximately 700nm with 64 microsteps per full step; USB 2.0 and EIA-485 interfaces with Windows and Linux support via FTDI drivers and plain text ASCII commands.
- CH30 Handheld Controller Battery-powered handheld controller for piezoelectric positioners operating up to 3 axes with switchable speed modes (fast up to 1mm/s, slow up to 0.2mm/s, single step). Step size adjustable from 50-500nm; powered by 3 AA batteries with robust design for portable manual positioning.
- CU30 Closed Loop Controller USB 2.0 closed loop controller for piezoelectric inertial positioners providing resolution up to 50nm with integrated measuring system. Operates up to 3 axes with DLL and Wrapper-DLL for custom software integration; USB powered with optional 6V user plug.
- NC6 NOVA-Controller CAN-based USB controller serving as bridge from USB to CAN with integrated power delivery. Six independent ports provide 5VDC (1A each) and 42VDC (0.1A each) power lines; supports piezos, steppers, and sensors via the NOVA-Bus. Includes DLL for integration with C/C++, C#, and LabVIEW; weighs approximately 1.9kg.
- NC3 NOVA-Controller Compact CAN-based USB controller with three independent ports providing 5VDC (1A each) and 42VDC (0.1A each) power delivery via USB 2.0 micro-B interface. Compact 105x105x30mm design at approximately 300g for space-constrained NOVA setups.
- DSP50 Multi-Phase Linear Stage High-performance piezoelectric inertial drive with four phases and eight piezos providing 10mm travel at 50x60.5mm footprint with 16N blocking force. Symmetric case structure minimizes piezo force influence on bearing; integrates with Renishaw encoder for 1nm resolution and requires NDMS1 multi-phase controller; speed up to 1mm/s.
- NDS70 NOVA Stage Piezoelectric inertial drive with two phases and two piezos providing 15mm travel at 70x70mm footprint with 9N blocking force. Integrated measurement system with 50nm resolution; NOVA interface with INTERact MiniBridge connector.
- NDS40 NOVA Stage Compact piezoelectric inertial drive for NOVA system providing 11mm travel at 40x40mm footprint with 4.5N blocking force. Open loop operation with step size under 20nm via INTERact MiniBridge interface.
- NDMS1 Multiphase Servo Controller Dedicated servo controller for the DSP50 multiphase piezo positioner. Computational step size smaller than 1nm with 1nm positioning measurement resolution; features position control with adjustable step size and frequency, PT1000 temperature measurement, hard limit detection, and automatic shut-off at maximum speed 1mm/s.
- NDES1 Servo Controller NOVA device servo controller for piezo positioners without built-in electronics (e.g., MS30 with PS30 measuring system). 50nm measurement resolution with computational step size under 10nm; supports open loop and closed loop operation with hard limit detection and collision warning.
- NDEM3 Multi-Axis Controller NOVA device electronic module for three-axis control of piezo positioners without built-in electronics (MS30, MS38, MX25/35 stages). Adjustable step size with 16 to 128 steps per full step for flexible multi-axis operation.
- NDEF3 Low Temperature Controller NOVA device for low temperature piezo positioners (e.g., ML17). Operates up to 3 axes with adjustable voltage (38-80V) for temperature-dependent operation; maximum speed 0.5mm/s and designed for operation from 4K to 300K.
- NC6 NOVA5-Controller 6-port USB NOVA5 hub with powered connectivity for NOVA5 devices delivering 5V/1A per port with electronic fuse protection. Compatible with the Isolated Precision I-V Recorder, Isolated Source Meter, Optical Powermeter, Stepper Controller, and other NOVA5 devices via USB 2.0 micro-B high speed interface.
- NOVA5 Power Source NOVA5 bus device providing regulated voltage output with current/power regulation, featuring high-side current measurement and configurable operation as general purpose or LED power source. Nonvolatile configuration storage with GUI configuration software; 54x33x16mm, 38g.
- NOVA5 Stepper Controller NOVA5 bus stepper motor controller with sine-wave output up to 256 micro-steps; bipolar phase outputs up to ±0.4A with voltage swing ±4V. Supports velocity mode, absolute position mode, and relative position mode; includes end switches, emergency-off, and 12-bit analog input at 54g.
- NOVA5 Isolated Precision I-V Recorder NOVA5 bus isolated precision voltage/current measurement device featuring 24-bit or 22-bit ADC and 18-bit or 16-bit DAC. Current measurement down to 3fA/√Hz with bipolar input current range from ±200pA to ±1mA; voltage/current input/output as floats in SI-units at 55g.
- NOVA5 Isolated Source Meter NOVA5 bus high-side current measurement source meter featuring 22-bit or 16-bit ADC with 16-bit DAC. Bipolar output current range from ±100uA to ±100mA full scale with true high-side current measurement capability and 50mA current consumption.
- NOVA5 Optical Powermeter NOVA5 bus optical power measurement device available with Si pin photodiode (3x3mm) or InGaAs pin photodiode (1mm diameter). Features 24-bit ADC with ultrahigh dynamic range (>1E5) and up to 2000 conversions/s in high speed mode; 25mm diameter with M4 thread for mounting at 22g.
- NOVA-Bus System Platform Proprietary CAN-based bus platform connecting micropositioning devices with unified driver architecture and centralized power delivery. Combines CAN field bus with 5V and 42V power supplies for driving piezoelectric controllers; NOVA-Stack provides automatic message storage accessible by users with a simplified subset of CAN-Bus features.
Quantifiable outcome
- Positioning repeatability up to 1nm over total travel range
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use mechOnics
Customer profileSegments7 records
mechOnics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature5 records
mechOnics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- SI Scientific Instruments GmbHminorSI Scientific Instruments GmbH is a co-exhibitor with mechonics ag at DPG (German Physical Society) meetings, including DPG-SAMOP in Mainz (March 2026) and DPG-SKM in Dresden (March 2026). This appears to be a regular exhibition partnership for scientific conferences.
- RenishawcoreRenishaw provides the position measurement encoder system for the DSP50 linear stage. The Renishaw encoder together with the interpolator achieves 1 nanometer resolution. This is a key component supplier relationship for mechonics ag's highest-precision positioning product.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
mechOnics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Thorlabs: Thorlabs is a broad incumbent photonics and optics instrumentation supplier offering nanopositioning stages and motion-control modules as part of a much larger catalog — overlapping with mechOnics but specializing in volume distribution rather than extreme-environment niches.
Direct peers
- Physik Instrumente (PI): PI is the global market leader in precision positioning systems based on piezoelectric drives, including nanopositioning stages, piezo motors, and controllers — directly comparable across mechOnics' full product range and serving the same research, semiconductor, and photonics customers.
- attocube systems: attocube specializes in nanopositioning solutions for extreme environments including cryogenic temperatures and ultra-high vacuum, directly overlapping mechOnics' patented low-temperature and UHV product capabilities.
- Mad City Labs: Mad City Labs builds high-resolution nanopositioning piezo stages and AFM/scanning probe microscopy instrumentation, serving similar research and microscopy customers with comparably ultra-precise positioning technology.
- SmarAct: SmarAct produces high-precision piezoelectric-driven positioning and handling systems for research and industrial metrology, with overlapping cryogenic and vacuum-variant offerings, making it one of the closest direct competitors to mechOnics.
- Cedrat Technologies: Cedrat Technologies manufactures piezoelectric actuators, motors, and mechatronic systems — directly comparable to mechOnics' piezo inertial-drive positioning technology and mechatronic systems offering.
- New Scale Technologies: New Scale Technologies develops miniature piezoelectric motion modules and embedded positioning systems, directly comparable to mechOnics' ultra-compact MS15-class micro-positioner line for space-constrained applications.
- nPoint: nPoint designs and manufactures nanopositioning piezoelectric stages and controllers for scientific and industrial applications, with comparable product positioning to mechOnics' MS, DS, MX, and NOVA series.
- Piezomotor (Johnson Electric): Piezomotor, now part of Johnson Electric, develops piezoelectric micromotors and walk-drive linear actuators — comparable piezo-motion technology to mechOnics' inertial-drive stages, though with stronger industrial-volume market positioning.
- Aerotech: Aerotech produces high-precision motion control and positioning systems including nanopositioning stages and controllers, with overlapping semiconductor metrology and photonics customers served by mechOnics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
mechOnics social profiles
Digital presencemechOnics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
mechOnics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
mechOnics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
mechOnics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about mechOnics
What does mechOnics do?
mechOnics designs and manufactures precision micropositioning translation stages, piezo motor controllers, and the proprietary NOVA bus-based control architecture for micro/nanopositioning applications. The product portfolio spans miniature linear stages (MS/DS series), 3D XYZ positioners (MX series), fiber couplers and mirror tilting stages, handheld and closed-loop controllers (CF30, CH30, CU30), and a NOVA device ecosystem including multi-phase stages and low-temperature controllers. Products are offered in standard, high-vacuum, ultra-high-vacuum (down to 10^-9 mbar), and cryogenic (down to 4K) variants for research and industrial customers.
Is mechOnics a public or private company?
mechOnics is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was mechOnics founded?
mechOnics was founded in 2003. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is mechOnics based?
mechOnics is headquartered in München, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does mechOnics make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Positioner Sales are the primary driver. The others are electronics and Controllers, NOVA5 Ecosystem Devices and custom System Integration.
Who are mechOnics's main competitors?
Thorlabs is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Physik Instrumente (PI), attocube systems, Mad City Labs, SmarAct, Cedrat Technologies, New Scale Technologies, nPoint, Piezomotor (Johnson Electric) and Aerotech.
Does mechOnics have an API?
No public API is recorded for mechOnics.
What industry is mechOnics in?
mechOnics's product category is Precision Positioning Instruments. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHALAJ, MEMS Actuators & Micro-Mechanisms (Micromirrors/Microfluidics). Its NAICS code is 334513 and its SIC code is 3823.