Lightweight, mechanical systems, including such applications as robots, are generally more flexible, environmentally sustainable, faster and accurate that heavy-duty fixed systems, but their very lightness and flexibility can cause undesirable vibration. To solve this problem, the authors provide the necessary mathematical background for those new to the field, then describe the placement and control of piezoelectric actuators, use of the flexible-link manipulator, calculation and design of friction compensation, design and control of the piezoelectric stack, and design of the macro manipulator. They provide further information on dynamic modeling, piezoelectric stack actuators and macro manipulators in the appendices. Review copy included errata sheet. Readers are advised to confirm data independently.