Company profile
Tecnotion
Tecnotion B.V. is a Dutch maker of linear motors and frameless torque motors that became independent of Philips in 1998. Its head office is at Newton 10, 7609 RR Almelo, the Netherlands (+31 546 536 300, info@tecnotion.com); it publishes no UK office.
| Legal name | Tecnotion B.V. |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1998 |
| Owner / parent | Tecnotion B.V. |
| Headquarters | 7609 RR Almelo, Netherlands |
| Website | tecnotion.com |
Tecnotion contact details
Head office
Newton 107609 RR Almelo
Netherlands
Telephone +31 546 536 300
Email info@tecnotion.com
Website tecnotion.com
Contact details as published by Tecnotion B.V., checked 2026-10-30. Specify Motion is not affiliated with Tecnotion B.V..
Tecnotion product lines
| Ironless linear motors (Unano, UC, UF, UM, UL, UXA, UXX) | Cog-free U-channel linear motors, 1.4 to 846 N continuous |
|---|---|
| Iron-core linear motors (TM, TL, TB, TBW, TD, TxX) | Flat iron-core linear motors with peak forces up to 7,742 N |
| QTR torque motors | Ultra-thin frameless torque motors, 65 to 160 mm diameter |
| QTL torque motors | Large-bore frameless torque motors, 210 to 485 mm diameter |
| QMT torque motors | Newer HA and LA torque motor ranges, 230 to 485 mm |
| Vacuum and custom motors | Vacuum-rated and customer-specific direct drive motors |
Who Tecnotion is
Tecnotion B.V. is a Dutch manufacturer of direct drive motors, based in Almelo in the east of the Netherlands. It makes linear motors and frameless torque motors as component kits. Machine builders buy coil units and magnet tracks, or stators and rotors, and integrate them with their own bearings, encoders and drives. Its catalogue covers ironless and iron-core linear motors from a few newtons to several kilonewtons, and torque motors from 65 to 485 mm in diameter.
Tecnotion says production is spread across China, Vietnam and the Netherlands, in ISO 9001 certified plants. Custom motors are built in a cleanroom at the Dutch headquarters. Its target sectors include semiconductors, displays, machine tooling, robotics, printing, digital cutting, life science and woodworking, as well as vacuum applications.
History and ownership
Tecnotion’s own history starts in 1998, when it became independent after 25 years as part of Philips. It opened a factory in Suzhou, China, in 2004 and a new Almelo headquarters in 2005. It added a bonded warehouse in Suzhou in 2011 and upgraded its Dutch cleanroom in 2012. Sales offices followed in Munich and Seoul in 2013.
In 2015 Tecnotion launched its first torque motor series, which it describes as the move from a linear motor company to a direct drive motor company. The same year it added sales offices in the USA and Poland. A second Suzhou production facility opened in 2019. The company marked 25 years in 2023, and on 1 October 2024 it moved to a new headquarters at Newton 10, Almelo.
The legal entity is Tecnotion B.V., Dutch Chamber of Commerce number 33297762. The imprint names Bob Jonker as CEO. Tecnotion does not publish its shareholders.
Linear motors
Ironless linear motors
Tecnotion’s ironless motors have a coil unit moving between two rows of magnets in a U-channel. That means no cogging and no attraction force between coil and magnets, which suits measuring machines and smooth constant-velocity scanning. Across the category, Tecnotion quotes continuous forces from 1.4 N up to 846 N and peak forces up to 4,200 N.
- The UM series (coil units UM3 to UM12) gives 29 to 116 N continuous and 100 to 400 N peak force.
- The UXX series is the largest, with coil units UXX3 to UXX18. It gives 141 to 846 N continuous and 700 to 4,200 N peak, and is aimed at flat panel and semiconductor machines.
Smaller Unano, UC and UF motors and the UL and UXA ranges sit in between.
Iron-core linear motors
Iron-core motors put more force into a smaller package, but they bring cogging and a strong attraction force that the guide bearings must carry. The range runs from the small TM to the water-cooled TBW, with continuous forces from about 40 N to about 3,441 N and peak forces up to 7,742 N.
- The TL series has very low attraction force for its size. It gives 210 to 1,680 N continuous and up to 3,200 N peak (3,600 N ultimate), and Tecnotion points it at long-travel axes such as large-format printers.
- The TB series is for high loads and long duty cycles, with 760 to 1,900 N continuous and up to 4,000 N peak (4,500 N ultimate).
Tecnotion also lists TD36, TD55, TD82 and TxX iron-core motors.
Torque motors
- The QTR is an ultra-thin, encapsulated frameless torque motor. It comes in diameters of 65 to 160 mm and heights of 17 to 140 mm. Continuous torque runs from 0.28 Nm on the smallest QTR 65 to 103.9 Nm on the largest QTR 160, with up to 155.3 Nm peak. A large inner diameter and an optional digital Hall sensor make it a common candidate for robot joints.
- The QTL covers larger diameters from 210 to 485 mm with a big open bore and 300 or 600 V DC insulation. The QTL 485 gives 659 to 907 Nm continuous and up to 1,789 Nm peak. The 230, 310, 385 and 485 sizes are cooled; the 210 and 290 are not.
- The newer QMT-HA and QMT-LA ranges cover 230 to 485 mm.
Tecnotion quotes three force or torque levels: continuous, peak and ultimate. When you compare its figures with another maker’s, check which level each figure means and at what winding temperature. Our linear actuator sizing guide and frameless motor sizing guide cover RMS force and torque calculations.
Global and UK presence
Besides the Almelo headquarters, Tecnotion has offices in Munich (Tecnotion GmbH), Warsaw (Tecnotion Sp. z o.o.), Danbury, Connecticut (Tecnotion Inc.), Suzhou (Tecnotion Trade Co. Ltd.) and Seoul. It does not publish a UK office or UK distributor. UK engineers can reach the head office on +31 546 536 300 or through sales@tecnotion.com.
Specify Motion and Tecnotion
Specify Motion is independent of Tecnotion and is not affiliated with it. We can help source Tecnotion motors or propose linear and frameless motors from our supply network that meet the same published force, torque and size figures, confirmed by an engineer. Use find a replacement or visit our frameless torque motors hub.
Tecnotion history: key dates
- 1998Becomes an independent company after 25 years as part of Philips
- 2004Opens a factory in Suzhou, China
- 2005Opens a new headquarters in Almelo
- 2013Opens sales offices in Munich and Seoul
- 2015Launches its torque motor series and adds sales offices in the USA and Poland
- 2019Opens a second production facility in Suzhou
- 2024Moves headquarters to Newton 10, Almelo
Tecnotion linear motors
UM ironless linear motors
Mid-size ironless linear motors (coil units UM3 to UM12) with 29 to 116 N continuous and 100 to 400 N peak force, no cogging and zero attraction force.
UXX ironless linear motors
Tecnotion's largest ironless linear motors (UXX3 to UXX18) with 141 to 846 N continuous and 700 to 4,200 N peak force, aimed at flat panel and semiconductor machines.
TL iron core linear motors
Iron-core linear motors with very low attraction force (coil units TL6 to TL48) giving 210 to 1,680 N continuous, 3,200 N peak and 3,600 N ultimate force, suited to long travel.
TB iron core linear motors
Heavy-duty iron-core linear motors (TB12 to TB30) for high loads and long duty cycles with 760 to 1,900 N continuous, 4,000 N peak and 4,500 N ultimate force.
Tecnotion direct-drive and torque motors
QTL torque motors
Frameless direct-drive torque motors in diameters from 210 to 485 mm with a large open bore; the QTL 485 gives 659 to 907 Nm continuous and up to 1,789 Nm peak, with 300 or 600 V DC insulation.
QTR torque motors
Ultra-thin, high torque-density frameless torque motors in 65 to 160 mm diameters and heights from 17 to 140 mm, from 0.28 Nm (QTR 65) to 103.9 Nm continuous and 155.3 Nm peak (QTR 160).
Frequently asked questions
What is the Tecnotion website?
Tecnotion's website is tecnotion.com. It lists the ironless, iron-core and torque motor ranges, with spec sheets, CAD files and brochures for download, plus a product filter for choosing a motor by force or torque.
What is Tecnotion's phone number and email?
Tecnotion's head office in Almelo publishes +31 546 536 300 and the email addresses info@tecnotion.com and sales@tecnotion.com. Its regional offices are reached through location pages on the website.
Where is Tecnotion's headquarters?
Tecnotion's headquarters is at Newton 10, 7609 RR Almelo, the Netherlands. The company moved there in October 2024 from its earlier Almelo site, and builds custom motors in a cleanroom at the Dutch headquarters.
Who owns Tecnotion?
The trading company is Tecnotion B.V., registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under number 33297762. Tecnotion describes itself as an independent supplier. Its website does not name a parent company or shareholders.
Does Tecnotion have a UK office?
Tecnotion does not list a UK office or UK distributor on its contact page. Its offices are in the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, the USA, China and South Korea, so UK enquiries go to the Almelo head office or the sales email.
What does Tecnotion make?
Tecnotion makes direct drive motors: ironless linear motors, iron-core linear motors and frameless torque motors, plus vacuum-rated and custom motors. It supplies motor parts (coil units, magnet tracks, stators and rotors) rather than complete axes.
Sources
- Tecnotion: About us
- Tecnotion: Contact
- Tecnotion: Imprint
- Tecnotion: Ironless motors
- Tecnotion: Iron core motors
- Tecnotion: Torque motors
- Tecnotion: UM series
- Tecnotion: UXX series
- Tecnotion: TL series
- Tecnotion: TB series
- Tecnotion: QTL torque motors
- Tecnotion: QTL 485 series
- Tecnotion: QTR torque motors
- Tecnotion: QTR 160 series
- Tecnotion: QTR 65 series
Figures are summarised from the sources above and from manufacturers' published data on the date shown. Always confirm against the current datasheet for your exact part.
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