The field of medicine has continuously been advancing by leaps and bounds in the past decades, leading to high-tech and specialized medical tools, devices, and equipment that are more compact, more lightweight, and more efficient than ever before. These enable doctors to diagnose and treat diseases in a faster and more accurate manner.

To meet the growing demand for these modern tools, manufacturers of medical devices are requiring equally efficient components that are highly powerful and precise, many of which in increasingly smaller configurations. One of the most important parts that comprise medical equipment are sterilizable micro brushless motors, and they have undergone a lot of improvements in recent years to meet the rigorous demands of the medical industry.

Typical motor requirements

Apart from miniaturization, precision, high power and efficiency, medical equipment require micro motors that are extremely stable and reliable. Failure is not an option when doctors use these devices during delicate surgery or medical procedures. Low vibration and noise also helps ensure that there is minimal to no disturbance in they

Disinfection and sterilization procedures

Medical tools and implements are usually disinfected in a medical washer or thermal disinfector. These are machines that utilize hot water and specialized detergents in washing the items. Sterilization, meanwhile, is performed in an autoclave or a machine where positive and negative pressure is alternately applied in the environment where the items are placed, along with high temperature steam.

The motor assembly of medical devices therefore have to withstand such harsh environments. The steam, moisture, and high pH level of detergents may lead to internal corrosion, causing an electrical short circuit that will result in malfunction or failure of the device. The high pressure and temperatures may also lead to damage or wear on various internal motor parts such as bearings, sensors and magnets, thus leading to breakdown as well.

Advancements in micro motor technology

Autoclavable motors have been developed in order to address such demands and challenges in the medical setting. These high-quality micro motors are able to withstand hundreds of cycles in the washer and still offer utmost reliability and top performance. They are designed to provide high torque density, long life, and superior speed and position control.

They usually range in diameter from 16 to 32 mm. These autoclavable motors are incorporated into many types of medical equipment, such as dental hand tools and drills. They are also used in other modern medical devices and tools mostly used in orthopedic surgery, such as microdebriders, bone drills, bone shavers, and bone saws.

Motor solutions in medical applications

Manufacturers continue to keep abreast of the latest developments in motors and other micro components as they continue to develop life-saving medicals tools, devices, and implements. Selecting the right motor solutions for high-tech medical equipment may be challenging, but finding the right provider is a must in order to ensure peace of mind and end-user satisfaction, especially in the rigorous and demanding field of medicine.