13 Apr 2007 SCANLAB´s innovation redefines the industry standard for galvanometer scan head control by introducing iDRIVE®, a fully digital control concept. SCANLAB´s innovation redefines the industry standard for galvanometer scan head control. SCANLAB introduces iDRIVE®, a fully digital control concept emerging from the closed loop between the galvanometer’s digital driver and the PC control board RTC® 5.
The RTC® 5 communicates with the intelliSCAN® via a revolutionary scan head communication protocol. Among other features iDRIVE® offers simultaneous real-time monitoring of multiple galvanometer parameters and operational status. This capability is indispensable for processes requiring monitoring and traceability on-site or by a remote control center.
With iDRIVE®´s enhanced communications a programmer can simulate the scanning process by comparing the actual scanned position with the programmed position for a given speed.
Process development time is significantly reduced as optimization of scan head settings occurs without manually inspecting the processed material. Another control feature of iDRIVE® is proportional laser pulsing where speed feedback from the galvanometer is used to modulate the laser, ensuring consistent energy deposition and eliminating burn-in effects.
Multiple tunings are stored on the intelliSCAN â electronics. These are derived from mathematical models and are selectable for each vector. Optimized tunings specific to process requirements enable faster and more precise positioning. The scan head´s digital control consumes significantly less power resulting in better temperature stability during highly dynamic operation.
At present iDRIVE® technology is available for scan heads with apertures ranging from 7 mm to 30 mm. | 
