Canon partners with MERSEN to develop high-speed galvano scanner

February 29, 2024

On January 19, Canon and MERSEN, a French company specializing in electric power and advanced materials, announced a technical partnership for the development of a galvano scanner, a device used to control laser beam angles in laser processing systems.

On the same day, Canon launched a new scanner product that combines its proprietary “GM Series” motor with MERSEN’s optoSiC mirror, a lightweight and high-rigidity silicon carbide (SiC) reflector. The new product offers approximately 30% faster drive speed and 30% shorter settling time, reducing mirror vibration and improving response performance.

The product is designed for use in high-precision laser processing machines and metal 3D printers, where fast and accurate beam control is essential.

Optimized for laser applications through pre-tuned control templates

The optoSiC mirror had previously been adopted in laser processing and metrology applications, but integrating it with motor systems posed tuning challenges. To overcome this, Canon and MERSEN partnered to co-develop a well-tuned system.

Canon has also developed pre-configured control templates tailored to various laser applications, such as micro-hole drilling and laser marking. These templates help users shorten system integration time, making it easier to adopt the galvano scanner into new or existing laser equipment.