Used Motion Controllers
104 units in stock — a mix of precision photonics positioning controllers (Burleigh, Aerotech, ILX Lightwave) and industrial servo motion controllers (Kollmorgen, Danaher Motion, Copley, Galil). Ships from Pleasant Grove, UT.
ABB / Baldor Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Abaco Systems / SBS / Greenspring Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Advanced Motion Controls Motion Controllers (3 units)
Aerotech Motion Controllers (5 units)
Agilent / Keysight Motion Controllers (2 units)
Ametek / TMC Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Applied Materials / Semitool / Galil Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Applied Motion Products Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Asyst Technologies Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Axiom Technology Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Bosch Rexroth Motion Controllers (2 units)
Burleigh Motion Controllers (22 units)
CVI Melles Griot Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Cirris Systems Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Copley Controls Corp Motion Controllers (2 units)
DDC Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Danaher / American Precision Industries Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Danaher / Kollmorgen / Motion Engineering Motion Controllers (3 units)
Danaher Motion / Dover Instrument Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Danaher Motion / IDC Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Danaher Motion / Kollmorgen Motion Controllers (8 units)
Danaher Motion / Superior Electric Motion Controllers (1 unit)
DeWalt Motion Controllers (1 unit)
ETS EMCO Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Elmo Motion Control Motion Controllers (2 units)
Exfo Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Fluke Motion Controllers (1 unit)
GE / Andco Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Galil Motion Control Motion Controllers (1 unit)
ILX Lightwave Motion Controllers (7 units)
Jena Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Jenaer Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Keysight / Agilent / HP Motion Controllers (2 units)
Kollmorgen Motion Controllers (3 units)
Kollmorgen / Pacific Scientific Motion Controllers (2 units)
Kollmorgen / Seidel Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Kollmorgen/Danaher Motion Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Kulicke & Soffa Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Kulicke and Soffa Motion Controllers (2 units)
Melles Griot Motion Controllers (1 unit)
RTD Embedded Technologies Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Sanyo Motion Controllers (2 units)
Sanyo Denki Motion Controllers (2 units)
Stanford Research Motion Controllers (2 units)
Stanford Research Systems Motion Controllers (2 units)
ThorLabs Motion Controllers (3 units)
Vexta Motion Controllers (1 unit)
Precision Photonics Positioning Controllers
Burleigh (a large share of this category), Aerotech, ILX Lightwave, and ThorLabs controllers drive piezoelectric actuators or precision mechanical stages for sub-micron positioning — aligning an optical fiber to a waveguide, positioning a sample under a microscope objective, or steering a laser beam. Burleigh in particular built its reputation on piezo inchworm motors and nanopositioning controllers for exactly this kind of work, and a large share of the Burleigh listings here reflect that legacy.
Industrial Servo Motion Controllers
Kollmorgen, Danaher Motion, Copley Controls, Elmo Motion Control, Advanced Motion Controls, and Galil Motion Control units command servo motors — via analog, digital, or networked drive interfaces — in industrial automation, robotics, and machine-tool applications. These take a position or velocity command and close the loop against motor feedback (typically an encoder or resolver) to move an axis to a commanded position, a different control problem entirely from steering a piezo stage in nanometers.
Board-Level and Embedded Motion Products
A few listings — the Abaco Systems/SBS/Greenspring IndustryPack quadrature module and the RTD Embedded Technologies board — are board-level motion-control/feedback interface products meant to install in a VME, PCI, or PC/104 host as part of a larger embedded system, rather than standalone controllers. As with any board-level product, confirm you have a compatible carrier or chassis before ordering.
What to Check Before Buying
First, confirm which world your application falls into — precision photonics positioning or industrial servo control — since the two aren't interchangeable regardless of the "motion controller" label. Second, confirm compatibility with the specific motor, stage, or actuator you plan to pair it with: connector pinouts, feedback device type (encoder vs. resolver vs. capacitive sensor), and command interface all need to match, and motion controllers are rarely universal across brands. Contact us if you're not sure a given controller will work with your existing hardware.
Calibration for Motion Controllers
Precision positioning controllers are typically function-verified against a reference standard confirming positioning accuracy and repeatability at the stage level, rather than the controller electronics alone. Industrial servo drives are generally functionally tested rather than issued a standalone calibration certificate, since positioning accuracy in that context depends on the whole motor/feedback/mechanical system, not the drive electronics in isolation. See all calibration services →
Frequently Asked Questions
This category has a lot of different brands — is it really all one type of product? +
Not exactly, and we'd rather be upfront about it. "Motion controller" covers two genuinely different worlds of equipment here. One side is precision photonics/laboratory positioning — Burleigh, Aerotech, ILX Lightwave, and ThorLabs controllers that drive piezo actuators or micro-positioning stages for optical alignment and semiconductor/photonics lab work, moving things in microns or nanometers. The other side is industrial servo motion control — Kollmorgen, Danaher Motion, Copley Controls, Elmo Motion Control, and Galil controllers and drives that command servo motors in automation and robotics applications, moving things in millimeters to meters. Both get called "motion controllers," but they're not interchangeable, and the listing description will tell you which world a given unit belongs to.
What does a precision positioning controller (Burleigh, Aerotech) actually drive? +
These typically drive piezoelectric actuators or precision mechanical stages used for sub-micron positioning — aligning an optical fiber to a waveguide, positioning a sample under a microscope objective, or steering a laser beam. Burleigh in particular built its reputation on piezo inchworm motors and nanopositioning controllers for exactly this kind of application.
What does an industrial servo motion controller (Kollmorgen, Copley, Galil) drive? +
These command servo motors — via analog, digital, or networked drive interfaces — in industrial automation, robotics, and machine-tool applications. A servo drive like the Kollmorgen or Advanced Motion Controls units in this category takes a position/velocity command and closes the loop against motor feedback (typically an encoder or resolver) to move an axis to a commanded position. This is a completely different control problem from steering a piezo stage in nanometers.
What should I check before buying a used motion controller? +
First, confirm which category your application falls into — precision photonics positioning or industrial servo control — since the two aren't interchangeable regardless of what the label says. Second, confirm the controller is compatible with the specific motor, stage, or actuator you plan to pair it with; motion controllers are rarely universal, and connector pinouts, feedback device type (encoder vs. resolver vs. capacitive sensor), and command interface all need to match. Ask us if you're not sure a given controller will work with your existing hardware.
Not sure which type of motion controller you need?
Tell us what you're positioning or driving, and we'll help you find the right match.
Get in touch