Aerotech Inc. a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based supplier of precision motion control and automation, released its DrillOptimizer, an advanced AeroScriptPlus feature for galvo scanner systems. Designed for equipment manufacturers using laser drilling with high-dynamic point-to-point motion, DrillOptimizer tackles the complex challenge of optimizing step and settle motion for thousands to millions of hole locations, minimizing overall drilling cycle time and maximizing galvo scanner hardware performance.

“Optimizing high-dynamic point-to-point motion for laser drilling applications with varying hole distances has long been a demanding task,” says Aerotech Product Manager Bryan Germann. “We created DrillOptimizer so our customers can save development time and increase throughput without sacrificing on precision.”

DrillOptimizer works in two key ways:

● Motion Sequence Optimization: DrillOptimizer intelligently determines the most efficient path through a pattern of holes, whether within a single scanner field of view (FOV) or when combined with a servo stage system using Infinite Field of View (IFOV). This path optimization directly minimizes the overall cycle time by ensuring the shortest travel distance for the scanner.

● Step and Settle Optimization: DrillOptimizer enables optimal controller parameters to be used for any specific step distance without the scanner leaving the user-defined settle window. By identifying the ideal parameters for each move based on the user-specified settle window and laser-on time, settling move delays are eliminated – allowing the laser to fire with zero delay if the scanner remains within the settle window.

Key benefits include:

Minimized cycle time through optimized motion paths

Maximized galvo scanner hardware performance for every move

Elimination of move delay for laser firing

Guaranteed precision even for large-scale processing

Rapid process development with an intuitive Windows user interface

Seamless integration into custom machine HMIs via a .NET DLL

Production-scale performance with minimal setup

Compatibility with Aerotech’s AGV galvo laser scan head products (AGV-HPO and AGV-XPO)