Controlling A 3-Axis Scan System (Optional); Intended Use; Connection And Initialization - Scanlab RTC 5 PC Interface Board Installation And Operation Manual

8.6 Controlling a 3-Axis Scan
System (Optional)
If the 3D option of the RTC
®
RTC 5 can also be used for controlling a 3-axis scan
system consisting of an XY scan head and a Z-axis
dynamic focus unit (varioSCAN).

8.6.1 Intended Use

In a 3-axis scan system, the mirrors of the XY scan
head deflect the laser beam to the desired
XY position and the Z-axis simultaneously adjusts the
focal length of the scan system and thus the laser
focus along the optical axis to the desired Z position.
3-axis scan systems can be used for positioning the
laser focus within a flat processing field without the
need for a flat field objective. This is often the case in
applications for which standard flat field objectives
are unavailable.
3-axis scan systems can also be used as 3D beam
deflection systems. Here, the laser focus is guided
along the contour of the workpiece being processed,
thus enabling processing in three dimensions.
SCANLAB offers varioSCAN, varioSCAN
varioSCAN FC and varioSCAN
units to extend XY scan heads to 3-axis scan systems.
®
RTC 5 PC Interface Board
Rev. 1.9 e
8 Advanced Functions for Scan Head and Laser Control
®
5 is enabled, then the
,
de
dynamic focusing
FLEX

8.6.2 Connection and Initialization

To control a 3-axis scan system via an RTC
• the 3D option of the RTC
®
an installed RTC 5, this can be checked via the
command get_rtc_version),
• the XY scan head must be attached to the primary
scan head connector and the Z axis to the
secondary scan head connector
• a 3D correction table (D3_*.CT5) must be
assigned via select_cor_table
select_cor_table_list to the primary scan head
(1)
connector .
Other than that, no additional drivers or software
files (e.g. further DLL or DSP program files) are
needed for controlling a 3-axis scan system. Except
for the 3D correction table (see above), initialization
and program launching remain unchanged (see
page 62).
The standard DLL (RTC5Dll.Dll) supports all
commands for controlling 3-axis scan systems.
However, the full functionality of the commands
(outputting Z coordinates) is only available if the 3D
option has been enabled.
Multiple 3-axis scan systems can be simultaneously
controlled (via multi-board commands) from a single
PC if a corresponding number of RTC
enabled 3D options are installed in that PC.
(1) If, in addition, the "second scan head control" option is
enabled, it's alternatively possible to assign a 3D correction
table to the secondary scan head connector and to attach the
XY scan head to the secondary scan head connector and the Z
axis to the primary scan head connector (also see
Scan System", page 41 and "2D and 3D Correction Files",
page 122).
®
5:
®
5 must be enabled (for
(1)
and
or
®
5 boards with
"Interfaces to
171