9.1.1 Straight Lines and Jumps

These commands are used to define (parts of) the path that the laser beam should follow over the target surface during marking operations.

JUMP: move scanners with the laser OFF

For fast mirror movements, JUMP commands are used. The focal point of the optical system "jumps" at a specified velocity from the start to the end of the vector.

During a jump the laser is off.

The jump velocity may be specified via the AppendJumpSpeed API method or the JUMP_SPEED command.

ListAPI Method	SP-ICE-3 Command
AppendJumpAbs	JUMP_ABS
AppendJumpRel	JUMP_REL

MARK: move scanners with laser ON

To move the laser beam's focal point along a vector at a constant velocity, a MARK command is used.

For an isolated MARK command, the laser is switched on at the beginning, and off again at the end of the vector. See also: POLYLINES.

The marking velocity may be specified via the AppendMarkSpeed API method or the MARK_SPEED command.

ListAPI Method	SP-ICE-3 Command
AppendMarkAbs	MARK_ABS
AppendMarkRel	MARK_REL

POLYLINE: contiguous MARK commands

Any contiguous set of MARK commands automatically defines a POLYLINE of vectors to be scanned at a specifed marking velocity.

The laser is switched on at the start of the first vector of a polyline, and off again at the end of the last vector. See also: MARK.

The marking velocity may be specified via the AppendMarkSpeed API method or the MARK_SPEED command.

JUMP, MARK, and POLYLINE illustrated

In this figure you can seen three POLYLINEs (the "R", "L", and "C") and a single isolated MARK (the "-"), separated from one another by JUMPs.

Example: Marking a Square.

Note
Boilerplate code is omitted from this example for brevity: please refer to 12.3 Example Code in this Manual.

Marking a square.

Copy

using ( ClientAPI client = new ClientAPI() )
{
    try
    {
        client.Connect( CardIP );

        client.System.ResetToDefaults();

        // 
        // For this example, we choose to make the square almost 
        // as large as the available marking field.
        // 
        // Note how we use the (pre-)configured size of the marking field...
        double sizeX = ( 7 * client.Scanner.GetConfig().FieldSize.X ) / 8;
        double sizeY = ( 7 * client.Scanner.GetConfig().FieldSize.Y ) / 8;
        // ... and the place the extrema of the square symmetrically about the origin.
        double maxX = 0.5 * sizeX;
        double minX = -0.5 * sizeX;
        double maxY = 0.5 * sizeY;
        double minY = -0.5 * sizeY;

        double jumpSpeed = 1.0;
        double markSpeed = 0.1;

        CommandList list = new CommandList();

        // Append process parameter values to the List:
        list.AppendJumpSpeed( jumpSpeed );
        list.AppendMarkSpeed( markSpeed );

        // Append vectors to the List:
        list.AppendJumpAbs( minX, minY );
        list.AppendMarkAbs( maxX, minY );
        list.AppendMarkAbs( maxX, maxY );
        list.AppendMarkAbs( minX, maxY );
        list.AppendMarkAbs( minX, minY );
        list.AppendJumpAbs( 0, 0 );

        int listID = 0;
        client.List.Set( listID, list );

        // Calculate a suitable timeout value
        // by estimating the expected marking time and adding a couple of seconds leeway.
        int timeoutMs = (int)( 1e-3 * ( ( 2 * ( maxX - minX ) ) + ( 2 * ( maxY - minY ) ) ) / markSpeed ) + 2000;

        client.Laser.ArmLaser( true );

        client.List.Execute( listID );

        int? doneID;
        if ( !client.List.WaitForListDone( out doneID, timeoutMs ) )
        {
            throw new ListException( "Timed out waiting for ListDone." );
        }
        if ( doneID != listID )
        {
            throw new ListException( "Got ListDone for wrong listID!" );
        }
    }
    catch ( Exception ex )
    {
        // 
        // TODO:
        // Define suitable error handling for your application.
        // 

        Console.WriteLine( "Uhhh, Houston? We've had a problem...{0}", ex.ToString() );

    }
}