An adaptronic strut for machine tools with parallel kinematics for compensation of the influence of geometric errors is introduced. Implemented within the strut is a piezoelectric sensor-actuator unit separated in function. In the first part of this contribution, the functional principle of the strut is presented. For use of one piezoelectric transducer as both, sensor and actuator as so-called self-sensing actuator, the acquisition of the sensing signal while actuating simultaneously using electrical bridge circuits as well as filter properties are examined. In the second part the control concept developed for the adaptronic strut is presented. A co-simulation model of the strut for simulating the controlled multi-body behavior of the strut is set-up. The control design for the strut as a stand-alone system is tested under various external loads. Finally, the strut is implemented into a model of the complete machine tool and the influence of the controlled strut onto the behavior of the machine tool is examined.