Galvanometer 101. How they work. What they do and why we need them

HUDSON, N.H. - Feb. 26, 2015 - PRLog -- Hudson NH, February 19, 2014 — Nutfield Technology, (www.nutfieldtech.com), makes laser based galvanometer mirror scan heads of all kinds and descriptions for a whole host of purposes.  And, while today’s galvanometer laser scanners are very high-tech, they can all trace their lineage back to a man named Hans Orsted. In 1820, he discovered that running electricity through a wire near a compass would cause the compass needle to move. It was the first--albeit crude--galvanometer.

Shortly after that, a wire was wrapped around a compass to create a true galvanometer that could indicate DC current flow. It’s because the higher the current, the more a compass needle deflects.

Today, you’ll find that the voltmeter in your car is a simple galvanometer that’s not much different than one from the 19th century. Rather than moving a needle, a galvanometer mirror scan head is used to make laser scanners move. It what makes everything from grocery store checkout scanners and laser light shows work, to laser printers and laser scribing, drilling and welding methods possible.

Much has been done to improve the technology of galvanometer scanners with the likes of digital encoding, 3-axis scan heads and scan control software. But, the galvanometer mirror scanner owes its existence to the work of Hans Orsted  and the placing of a wire that flowed current next to a compass.

For more information about laser galvanometer mirror scan heads, visit www.nutfieldtech.com

About Nutfield Technology
Nutfield Technology has been designing and manufacturing advanced galvanometer based optical scanners, scan heads, laser scan kits, and scan control software and hardware since 1997.  As the one-stop for laser scanning solutions, Nutfield Technology has a full product line ideally suited for most laser scanning applications.  Nutfield Technology is located in Hudson, New Hampshire, 30 miles north of Boston with representation in the U.S., Europe and Asia. For more information about laser galvanometer mirror scan heads, visit http://www.nutfieldtech.com