PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P. a leading manufacturer of nanopositioning and precision motion control equipment for the optics, photonics, semiconductor, bio/nanotechnology and medical industries, is ramping up its manufacturing capabilities in the US.
Last year, the company hired Philip Greene as VP of Engineering and Manufacturing. Greene brings extensive technical knowledge in the design and manufacture of ultra-precision motion systems. Prior to joining PI, Greene was VP Engineering at Dover Instrument Corporation (now part of Danaher Motion), a world leader in precision motion and air bearing systems
Important move to allow PI to become more competitive and flexible
Greene has already started to build an engineering team at the company’s Auburn, MA US headquarters. The group has completed the design of a number of new piezoelectric nanopositioning products which began shipping to customers in January 2009. Engineers have at their disposal modern design tools such as CAD and Finite Element Analysis to cut development time. A nanometrology lab with industry-leading Zygo interferometry test equipment ensures that products meet PI’s stringent performance standards.
Products specifically suited for the needs of the North American market
The focus of PI’s US engineering effort is on developing standard and custom nanopositioning products specifically suited for the needs of the North American market, by working more closely with the customer’s engineering teams and budgets.
“This move will also take advantage of the US’s relatively low manufacturing cost compared to the EU and makes PI more competitive within the North American market” says Brian Lula PI USA’s president. “Phil Greene’s broad expertise in motion system design, test metrologies and manufacturing under a strong QA discipline will be greatly beneficial to PI’s North American customers”.