Nmark GCL Galvo Scanner Control

October 27, 2016
Nmark GCL Galvo Scanner Control

The Nmark GCL controls Aerotech’s AGV series scanners, reportedly resulting in industry-leading settling times, long-term thermal stability and micron-level tracking accuracy due to advanced features such as full-state feed-forward, 200 kHz servo rates, and look-ahead-based velocity control. The Nmark GCL uses advanced interpolation electronics to provide up to 26-bits of effective resolution. Onboard real-time 2D calibration ensures accurate beam placement over the entire field of view.


The ability to accurately place a laser spot as a function of X/Y axis position is a key feature of Aerotech’s linear positioning stages for laser processing applications, and with the release of the Nmark GCL, this functionality is now available for scanner applications. The ability to accurately trigger the laser as a function of position removes the need to program mark, jump and polygon delays, resulting in reduced programming complexity. Scanner-based processes can be programmed in the same fashion as traditional X/Y stage-based applications by using the position synchronized output functionality.

Related Glossary Terms

  • calibration

    calibration

    Checking measuring instruments and devices against a master set to ensure that, over time, they have remained dimensionally stable and nominally accurate.

  • interpolation

    interpolation

    Process of generating a sufficient number of positioning commands for the servomotors driving the machine tool so the path of the tool closely approximates the ideal path. See CNC, computer numerical control; NC, numerical control.