2 published verifications about Piezoelectric Motor Piezoelectric Motor ×
“A piezoelectric motor can mechanically hold its position when power is cut (off-power holding), whereas a voice coil motor (VCM) requires current to hold position.”
The claim captures the usual engineering distinction. Many piezo motors can hold position off power through frictional or self-locking mechanics, whereas standard voice-coil motors are back-drivable and typically need continuous current to hold force or maintain position under load. The caveat is that this is not universal: some piezo-based actuators are not mechanically self-locking, and specialized VCM systems can achieve zero holding current with added design features.
“Piezoelectric autofocus motors can hold their position without continuous power, unlike voice coil motor (VCM) autofocus modules that require continuous current to hold a non-rest position.”
The claim accurately describes the usual behavior of commercial autofocus actuators. Piezoelectric autofocus motors commonly hold position without continuous power because many are self-locking, while standard VCM autofocus modules usually need current to stay at a non-rest position. The key caveat is that specialized VCM designs with zero holding current do exist, so the contrast is not universal.