Open MicroManipulator – A sub-micrometer 3D motion control plattform
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An open-source, low-cost 3D-printed XYZ manipulator achieves sub-micrometer motion control.
The Open Micro-Manipulator is a motorized XYZ platform with a parallel kinematic structure and miniature ball joints. It uses off-the-shelf stepper motors, a 30 kHz closed-loop controller, and a 'magnetic gearing' approach to achieve 50 nm steps (resolution, not accuracy). Controlled via G-Code over USB, it includes a full motion planning stack with look-ahead. The project provides FreeCAD models, KiCAD electronics, a Python API, and a GUI. Hardware v4.0 fixes several issues from earlier versions.
What commenters are saying
Commenters praised the author for releasing a polished, open-source design with no promotion. Some noted thermal drift from plastic parts and the motor's heat as a practical limitation. One user referenced the RepRap Micron project as a similar effort. Another mentioned a manual, non-motorized version for use in a point diffraction interferometer. Several expressed interest in a Kickstarter or a 6DOF variant.