DCmind Brushed Motors: Endoscope Sterilization Machine Maintenance Reduced

An endoscope sterilization machine manufacturer was aiming to extend the length of time over which the machines could be used between services, without radically altering the principles underlying their original design. Thanks to DCmind brushed motors, it is "Mission Accomplished", and an exciting, new project is now up and running!

Like most of the machines used in medicine, endoscope sterilization machines incorporate multiple, low-voltage motors, which play a vital role in their performance. With the help of endoscopes, the human body can now be explored using a process known as invasive medical imaging.

Up until now, each of the endoscope sterilization machines, made by a Netherlands-based manufacturer, one of Crouzet's customers, contained no fewer than seventeen DC electric motors, each with its own reduction gearing. These motors, along with seventeen peristaltic pumps, were responsible for the endoscopic probe's internal and external cleaning and disinfection cycles. Since endoscope sterilization machines tend to be used over many hours each day (and are often in use for over 3,000 hours a year), their motors had to be immobilized after every 2,000 hours of usage, i.e. almost twice a year, in order to replace the carbon brushes in their drives.

Total cost of ownership reduced

One way to achieve significantly longer maintenance cycles (20,000 hours) would have been to opt for brushless motors. However, this endoscope sterilization equipment manufacturer was unwilling to re-design the entire machine just to accommodate a different set of control electronics. So, Crouzet suggested an alternative, a solution based on 15W DCmind Brushed Motors, which only need servicing every 5,000 hours (i.e. only after the machine's guarantee has expired). They could hardly have responded more appropriately to the customer's specifications, which stipulated a reduction in the machine's total cost of ownership.

Other key strengths

Crouzet's 42mm diameter DCmind motors with RC65 reduction gearing have received anti-corrosion surface treatments in black. This, combined with their other features, has earned them a protection rating of IP65.

An added bonus is their increased energy efficiency. Their motor efficiency ratings (excluding reduction gearing) can be as high as 75%, compared with the previous generation's ratings of 40 to 50%.

The mechanical and electrical features of DCmind motors mean, from a manufacturer's point of view, they can easily be substituted for other motors. Finally, the fact that these motors offer higher levels of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) than their predecessors equips them to meet the exacting standards of the medical world.

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