How To Program A Fast Steering Mirror
Fast steering mirrors are used to direct and bounce lasers in different directions. The purposes they are used for could be anything from directing cutting lasers in a laboratory to deflecting lasers to direct visual interest to something you want others to pay attention to and see. One particular feature that most product consumers particularly like about fast steering mirrors is that they are programmable. Every mirror has a cable you can connect to a computer, and you can use the related software to get the mirrors to move the way you want them to without ever having to touch them. Here is how that works.
Install the Software on Your Laptop or Desktop
The first thing you have to do is install the software for the steering mirror. This software will open a work dashboard in the program. You will need to know how to write a little computer code or how to create a working program, To begin, you can use the included tutorial on how to write a brief program that tells the steering mirror what to do. When you see that the short tutorial program produces the right results, you can begin to write your own directional program.
Writing Your Own Programming for the Mirror
Next, you can write your own programming for the mirror. Try changing a few lines or adding a few lines from the tutorial program. Watch what the mirror does. You need to make sure that each line of code in the programming is complete, or the program cannot be executed in the way you expect. Activity with the steering mirror will stop if the line of code is incomplete, and the mirror will not complete the rest of the commands you have written onscreen.
It Takes Time and Practice
Writing the programming for the steering mirror takes time and practice. This is not something you can jump right in and do—unless, of course, you are already a computer programmer and/or IT specialist. If you decide you need more training on this subject as it relates to your job, ask your boss about possibly taking a training course, or see if the company offers such a course. Usually, if learning about fast steering mirrors is work-related, your boss will have some training videos or courses you can take to adapt to the company's changing needs. Otherwise, these devices just take time and practice to maneuver and manipulate.
To learn more about fast steering mirrors, contact a company like nPoint.
