Ceramic bearings deliver excessive speeds, low noise to medical gadgets

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Chris Johnson predicts that future medical robots will probably be used extra to supply sufferers with emotional assist than as instruments. | Supply: SMB Bearings

Robots are on the rise in medical environments and are being more and more relied upon to hold out extra complicated procedures. Though martensitic stainless steels have been favored for bearings in robotic purposes, their efficiency is falling brief in opposition to rising requirements to forestall contamination in medical environments.

GlobalData predicted that the medical robotics market will rise from $4.7 billion in 2020 to $14.5 billion in 2030. The analyst agency mentioned these robots will “be solid extra as companions offering emotional assist, reasonably than seen as instruments.” The quote refers to synthetic intelligence turning into extra superior, permitting robots to supply extra therapeutic assist to sufferers in methods we will’t think about at this time and to counter workers shortages.

From surgical help robots that assist carry out minimally invasive procedures to therapeutic robots to assist rehabilitation for accidents and paralysis, the know-how has come a good distance since easy robotic arms had been first launched within the Nineteen Eighties. Though surgical robots have gotten cheaper, trendy medical purposes are additionally demanding increased precision and pace capabilities from these robots. 

Historically, in medical devices, bearings — which optimize the rotation of axes in robotic arms by limiting or avoiding friction and jolts — have been produced from high-purity metals reminiscent of martensitic chrome steel. Examples embrace medical robots that assist undertake keyhole surgical procedure the place the utmost precision is required. Surgical robotic bearings should ship the best attainable rotational accuracy whereas additionally being sufficiently small to suit into these typically compact and transportable hospital gadgets.

Nevertheless, metal bearings have limitations together with contamination. Whereas metal bearings are robust and able to withstanding extremely corrosive environments, they’re prone to particulate contamination as a result of very excessive contact pressures in opposition to the metal inside the bearing whereas it strikes. If left unchecked, this contamination could cause denting and put on. 

In fact, contamination generally is unacceptable in well being and security environments. As robots turn out to be extra prevalent in medical purposes, rules are getting stricter to forestall contamination.

Study from Agility Robotics, Amazon, Disney, Teradyne and plenty of extra.

Ceramic can change metal, says SMB Bearings

All of those elements affect the selection of fabric for bearings in medical environments — however what materials can change metal? The medical tools sector is more and more selecting bearings made solely of zirconia (ZrO2), or different unique ceramic compounds. In keeping with the Institute of Supplies, Minerals, and Mining, “ceramic bearings produced from ZrO₂ are robust, with related enlargement properties to stainless steel and 440 chrome steel, though they’re 30% lighter.” 

Certainly, full ceramic precision bearings are more durable than metal, with superior corrosion and warmth resistance, increased dimensional stability, and decrease density. Nevertheless, ceramic bearings are costly. This can be a large concern for well being institutes that function inside tight budgets, so the choice to put money into them should be well-considered. Luckily, ceramic bearings maintain an a variety of benefits for medical environments.

One is that the bearings don’t react to chemical compounds. Which means they don’t corrode or weaken when subjected to harsh chemical compounds used for sterilization in hospitals. Ceramics don’t require lubrication that may in any other case draw contaminants like mud, water, or humidity. This additionally eliminates the necessity for upkeep processes like relubrication. Ceramic bearings are additionally water resistant, so might be washed down frequently.

The necessity to keep away from contamination accompanies different design necessities reminiscent of excessive speeds, low noise, and non-magnetic properties. For example, as a result of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners use a powerful magnetic area to generate two- or three-dimensional photos of any dwelling topic, metal bearings can’t be used on account of their magnetic properties.

SMB Bearings says ceramic bearings maintain an a variety of benefits for medical environments. | Supply: SMB Bearings

Put money into the best supplies for high-value purposes

So, is investing in ceramic bearings for medical environments value it? There are nonetheless sure purposes the place the pace and precision of metal are essential, like in surgical robots. Nevertheless, there are different cases the place utilizing the incorrect parts in such medical or laboratory tools can contaminate research circumstances or trigger the research to stop altogether.

As a substitute, the additional funding in ceramic bearings might help make sure that medical robots run with effectiveness and longevity — particularly as they’re “solid extra as companions offering emotional assist, reasonably than seen as instruments.”

In regards to the writer

Chris Johnson is the managing director at SMB Bearings, a specialist ceramic bearings provider. Johnson has over 14 years of expertise at SMB Bearings.