self-aligned laser processing SCANalign is a complete, easy-to-use vision solution specifically developed for laser scan systems. SCANalign extends your scan system with highly precise calibration of the whole working field, automatic process alignment and visual quality control of laser processing results. SCANalign's key components are a software package, a camera, suitable illumination and a high-precision calibration plate. SCANalign's software enables: • All SCANalign packages are adaptable to customers' specific laser application requirements. • Fast, high-precision calibration of the complete laser system, • Ultra-accurate measuring of positions within the scan system's working field, • Automatic alignment of laser processes to workpiece positions, • Capture of correctly-scaled and straightened images in the scan system's working field before and after laser processing, • Integration with laserDESK laser processing software. • All components seamlessly integrate with SCANLAB's scan heads, camera adapters and RTC5 control boards. • All components are perfectly matched to each other. The camera captures images either coaxially via a camera adapter or side-mounted via a standard objective. SCANalign's algorithms ensure transfer of generated image data as laser coordinates, thus enabling direct correction of laser scan processes. All SCANalign functionality is accessible via a graphic user interface (GUI), eliminating the need for programming expertise. A complete system calibration can thus be performed within a short period of time. The GUI lets you directly create new vision jobs or modify existing ones. These typically contain functions for image capture and smoothing, as well as for pattern recognition and defining p

System Set-Up and Control The diagrams on the left depict two different approaches to configuring a laser scan system for SCANalign: with a sidemounted camera (a) or with an integrated camera (b). Both configurations allow GUI-based calibration and control, thereby enabling adaptation of camera hardware to your system's design specifics. Scan head Camera adapter In addition to the software and camera, SCANalign also includes interfaces and complete pluggable cabling for communication between the RTC 5 board, camera, illumination and laserDESK software. SCANalign provides two software GUIs: a...

SCANalign's Vision Engine automatically provides undistorted, correctly-scaled camera images – as shown top right. SCANalign vision jobs can automatically analyze these corrected images, e.g. for determining a workpiece's position and orientation using reference marks or other geometric properties of the workpiece. The Vision Engine provides analysis results that the laser scan application can use to align scan patterns relative to a workpiece's actual position and orientation. By creating this automation, SCANalign delivers optimal processing results while eliminating the need to precisely position...

Example Configuration coaxial camera set-up side-mounted camera set-up Scan head aperture Scan objective Control board Laser wavelength Camera triggering hardware signal software signal Power supply Camera objective f = 8 mm (standard camera objective) Calibration plate Illumination / Filter Processing field size Camera field of view (max.) (16 x 13) mm2 single image, merged images possible 13 µm • PC internal power supply with 12 V and 5 V; - max. 0.5 A for camera and controls, - max. 2 A when used for lighting Service Offerings Absolute accuracies (by calibration) Relative accuracies (position...