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Application Note
Application Note

Boosting Throughput and Precision in Medical Device Manufacturing with Automation1 PWM+ Amplifiers

The Challenge: Maximize Throughput and Maintain Quality in Laser Tube Processing

The medical device manufacturing sector, particularly for cardiovascular stents and hypotubes, faces relentless demand growth. Control and systems engineers are under constant pressure to significantly improve throughput without sacrificing the micron-level precision and quality that is critical to patient safety.

The industry is also rapidly transitioning to lights-out operations—automated tube loading, machine tending and vision-based inspection—to overcome challenges in finding and retaining skilled technicians. This shift demands motion control systems that are not only high-performing but also simple to commission and maintain, reducing reliance on controls experts for peak performance.

This leaves manufacturers simultaneously addressing three critical challenges:

  • Increase throughput to maximize machinery’s profit potential
  • Ensure superior part quality
  • Simplify operations for an automated future

Aerotech’s Automation1 PWM+ Amplifiers are a single solution to all three challenges. 

The Solution: Linear Amplifier Performance in a Compact PWM Package

Automation1 PWM+ Amplifiers directly address the need for higher throughput and enhanced precision in new and existing laser tube processing machines. PWM+ delivers linear amplifier performance in a more accessible, efficient and compact PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) package. This brings users key advantages, including:

  • Higher throughput, immediate improvement: Automation1 PWM+ enables higher throughput and superior part placement accuracies compared to standard PWM amplifiers, straight out of the box. This reduces cycle time without compromising the precise part quality required for stents and hypotubes.
  • Easy system upgrade: Existing systems using Automation1-XR3 or Automation1-iXR3 controllers can dramatically improve performance by simply replacing XSP3 slice amplifiers (shown in Figure 1) with new XSP3+ versions (available in 10, 20 and 30 Amp peak currents) and upgrading the Automation1 firmware to version 2.12 or newer.
  • No linear amplifier constraints: PWM+ achieves dynamic tracking performance equivalent to linear amplifiers, but without the thermal management, power consumption and price limitations that traditionally restrict linear amplifier use in precision manufacturing applications.
Figure 1. PWM+ and linear slice amplifiers available in the same form factor (left) are compatible with Automation1-XR3 and -iXR3 multi-axis servo drive racks (right).

Simplify Commissioning and Optimization with Automation1 Wizards

For lights-out operations, manufacturers need motion systems that can be commissioned and maintained efficiently by non-specialized personnel. Pairing high-performance PWM+ amplifiers with the Automation1 motion controller’s intuitive setup wizards makes this possible.

The Automation1 wizards automatically configure and optimize motion system parameters, dramatically reducing the skill and time needed to go from components to an optimized precision system. Key automated functions include:

  • Motor commutation
  • Homing
  • Encoder tuning
  • Servo loop tuning and performance optimization with EasyTuneⓇ, shown in Figure 2
Figure 2. EasyTune mimics the process of an experienced controls engineer, delivering expertly optimized servo performance with the click of a button.

Using these tools with Automation1 PWM+ amplifiers not only cuts commissioning and maintenance time – it also allows manufacturers to consistently and effortlessly achieve performance levels previously only attainable by an expert using expensive linear amplifiers.

Proven Performance Advantage

To validate the real-world impact of the Automation1 PWM+ on laser tube processing, a performance test was conducted using a representative stent profile on a high-precision LaserTurn160-CCS rotary stage like the one shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Aerotech’s LaserTurn160-CCS, used in the Automation1 PWM+ performance test.

Test Summary

The test compared the performance of three amplifier types running the same complex stent profile (1.9 mm diameter, 28.5 mm length) using the Automation1-XR3 controller:

  • Standard PWM amplifier: XSP3-30
  • Automation1 PWM+ amplifier: XSP3+30
  • Linear amplifier: XSL3-10

The system was configured using the standard Automation1 setup wizards (MachineSetup, commutation, encoder tuning and EasyTune on the aggressive setting). The profile (shown in Figure 4) used lookahead and velocity blending, which are critical for maintaining the desired vector velocity along the stent’s complex contours. Multiple runs were conducted with varying ramp and feed rates.

Figure 4. Representative stent profile for a tube with 1.9 mm diameter and a length of 28.5 mm. 

Key Performance Metrics

The core metrics that directly affect throughput and part quality are cycle time and following error. A reduction in cycle time at an acceptable error level directly translates to increased devices per hour (DPH). Table 1 shows the core metrics, how they are defined and how they directly relate to improvements in the end user’s process. 

MetricDescriptionImpact on Manufacturing
Cycle TimeTotal time to complete the stent profile.Directly tied to throughput (DPH).
Peak Vector ErrorThe largest instantaneous deviation from the commanded path in two dimensions.Determines part quality and feature placement accuracy.
RMS Vector ErrorRoot Mean Square (average) deviation from the commanded path in two dimensions.Indicates overall profile tracking fidelity.
Table 1. Performance metrics measured during the PWM+ test, their definition, and how they ultimately affect the performance of the end user’s process. 

Test Results

The results clearly demonstrate the Automation1 PWM+ amplifier’s exceptional performance, positioning it as the ideal solution for high-volume, high-precision applications like stent cutting.

The plots in Figure 5 show the relationship between cycle time (throughput) and the magnitude of following error (precision/quality) for all three amplifier types. Each point on the plot represents a different ramp and feed rate for the same stent profile.

Figure 5. Plots depicting the relationship between cycle time (throughput) and the magnitude of following error (precision/quality) for all three amplifier types.

In addition, these results show PWM+ delivers high performance while enabling high throughput:

  • PWM+ matches linear amplifier performance: The PWM+ (XSP3+) amplifier’s performance is nearly identical to the high-performance linear (XSL3-10) amplifier for any given ramp and feed rate. This is evident in the overlapping data points on both the Peak and RMS error plots.
  • PWM+ is superior to standard PWM: The standard PWM (XSP3) amplifier exhibited significantly higher following errors than both the PWM+ and linear amplifiers across all operating speeds. This difference is due to the enhanced linearity and bandwidth of the PWM+ design. To achieve an acceptable error threshold, a machine running standard PWM is forced to run at a slower cycle time, directly limiting throughput and DPH.
  • Maximum throughput, simplified: Automation1 PWM+ allows manufacturers to run their machines at the highest possible speeds for a given accuracy requirement, maximizing throughput. Furthermore, this optimal performance is achieved using the simple setup wizards, removing reliance on expert tuners and the traditional thermal and power limitations of linear amplifiers.

Summary

By leveraging linear amplifier performance delivered by XSP3+ slice amplifiers and simplified commissioning – enabled by the Automation1 motion controller’s setup wizards – manufacturers can:

  • Increase throughput: Achieve faster cycle times without compromising critical feature placement accuracy
  • Maximize capital investment: Upgrade the performance of existing Aerotech-based machines with a simple amplifier swap and firmware update
  • Accelerate lights-out transition: Reduce the skill and time required for setup and maintenance, supporting the move toward fully automated, 24/7 operations

For engineers tasked with increasing the throughput of existing laser tube processing machines, Automation1 PWM+ amplifiers are the definitive choice.