Ball bearings are used in most laser scanning galvanometers to support the rotor. NTI uses the highest quality ceramic ball bearings for long life. Ceramic bearings offer improved performance, but still can wear out in demanding applications. However, there are circumstances where using a steel flexure may have distinct advantages over ball bearings.

Applications requiring small scan angle, fast raster, or heavy-duty cycles may be candidates for a class of galvos that use flexures instead of bearings to extend lifetime. Flexure galvos support the rotor with spring steel flexures, which can last indefinitely. They also have the added benefit of smoother scanning and no grease because there are no ball bearings to cause mechanical perturbations.
Jitter represents the deviation of instantaneous mirror velocity from the average scan velocity when the mirror is scanning through an angle. This can be an issue in imaging applications such as microscopy or film imaging. Flexure galvanometers and low-noise servo drives offer improved performance in applications requiring smooth scanning with low jitter.

One disadvantage of using a flexure based galvanometer is that as the rotor is moved away from the center, increased current is required to move it further out. This can become problematic if the rotor is kept far away from the center for long periods of time. The additional current can cause excessive heat buildup in the galvo. That is why flexure galvos are traditional used for small angle work or raster scan applications.

Galvo improvements have come in the form of higher strength magnets, stiffer rotor materials, improved rotor support, and mirror materials with reduced inertia. Materials like ceramic rotors, spring steel flexures, and silicon carbide mirrors are increasing scan rates and scan life.