DC motors for medical and laboratory applications

With a range of small brushed and brushless DC motors available, EMS has a wealth of experience in providing drive system solutions for the medical and laboratory sectors. 

From medical pumps and prosthetics and to surgical robots and laboratory automation, our micromotors facilitate movement with high precision, even over sustained periods. 

Find out more about the laboratory and medical applications we support below. 

Medical imaging

Imaging is a crucial aspect of patient diagnostics. X-rays, CT scans and ultrasounds are just a few of the imaging methods used to gain a better understanding of the human body, without intrusive procedures. 

With many imaging machines in near-continuous operation, particularly those in emergency departments, these medical motors must be able to operate continuously with no loss of performance. 

Treatment and surgery

Increasingly, surgical robots are being rolled out within the medical industry to support operating surgeons. Robot-assisted surgery can be done through much smaller incisions than typical operations, reducing risk of infection and recovery time. Size is of utmost importance in these applications, for the equipment to be manoeuvrable inside the patient. 

Micromotors can also assist with patient treatment from outside the body. For example, radiotherapy machines use collimators to narrow and focus the radiation beam onto the tumour, to minimise the damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Movement of these collimators is facilitated by small DC motors, which can quickly and precisely shape the beam according to the target area. 

Prosthetics

Demands on micromotors within prosthetics are some of the highest. These high-power motors must be extremely small and lightweight for patient comfort. They also need to be able to start and stop quickly to mimic the dexterity of human limbs while being robust enough to survive daily activities. 

Laboratory automation 

The coronavirus pandemic highlighted the necessity for fast, high-volume testing facilities within healthcare. Achieving this level of throughput is only possible with automation. Possible solutions include the use of conveyer belts to quickly sort and move samples throughout the laboratory, as well as using robotic arms and grippers to pick and place objects. 

Sample preparation and analysis steps can also be automated. Repetitive and monotonous tasks such as centrifugation and sample splitting are ideal for automation. This reduces human error, as well as workload on laboratory staff and allows them to focus on more complex analyses.  

Laboratory automation systems are reliant on micromotors to provide all necessary motion. Precision is vital in scientific and laboratory testing to ensure repeatability and therefore validity of results. 

Recommended products

With a range of brushed and brushless DC motors, stepper motors and linear actuators available, EMS can provide the motion solution for your application. 

FAULHABER BX4 

FAULHABER’s BX4 series offers dynamic start/stop operation with high speed control and precision. With integrated position control in confined installation spaces, the flexible BX4 modular system can be combined with a variety of gearhead and lead screw attachments, offering fully customised solutions for a broad range of different applications. 

Stepper motors

Frequently used in precision positioning equipment, stepper motors from FAULHABER offer a high torque, with a long service life. Their smooth operation with low noise and vibration makes them ideal for sensitive applications, such as those within the medical and laboratory sectors.  

Case studies

Prosthetics

International prosthetics manufacturer Steeper sought to build on the success of the bebionic3, one of the most advanced bionic hands on the commercial market at the time. Steeper needed to maintain high levels of functionality but in an even more compact space and turned to EMS for support. 

Read the full case study here.  

Air is life

Dräger’s Zeus Infinity Empowered (IE) anaesthesia machine can support both anaesthetic and ventilation for patients during operations. After encountering difficulty with finding off-the-shelf components to fit their requirements, FAULHABER were able to offer a specially tailored solution to suit. 

Read the full case study here.  

With more than 30 years of experience supplying the market across the UK and Ireland, EMS can specify micromotors for your medical and laboratory applications. To discuss your application and requirements, get in touch with a member of the team today.