Robust Controls of a Galvanometer : A Feasibility Study

Optical scanning systems use glavanometers to point the laser beam to the desired position on the workpiece. The angular speed of a galvanometer is typically controlled using Proportional+Integral+Derivative(PID) control algorithms. However, natural variations in the dynamics of different galvanometers due to manufacturing, aging, and environmental factors(i.e., process uncertainty) impose a hard limit on the bandwidth of the galvanometer control system. In general, the control bandwidth translates directly into efficiency of the system response. Since the optical scanning system must have rapid response, the higher control bandwidth is required. Auto-tuning PID algorithms have been accepted in this area since they could overcome some of the problems related to process uncertainty. However, when the galvanometer is attached to a larger mechanical system, the combined dynamics often exhibit resonances. It is well understood that PId algorithms may not have the capacity to increase the control bandwidth in the face of such resonances. This paper compares the achieable performance and robustness of a galvanometer control system using a PID controller tuned by the Ziegler-Nichols method and a controller designed by the Quantitative Feedback Theory(QFT) method. The results clearly indicate that-in contrast to PID designs-QFT can deliver a single, fixed controller which will supply high bandwidth design even when the dynamics is uncertain and includes mechanical resonances.