Page 5 - Industrial Technology EXTRA - 10th August 2020

also have a direct impact on the tool reliability and
servicing cost.

cost advantage can soon be Autoclavable motors
negated, particularly for surgeries that are Given the issues cited above, the ideal solution
performed multiple times a day. Further, would be the use of a DC motor that can survive the
hospitals are becoming more proactive autoclave sterilisation process by design,
with green initiatives, and are looking in eliminating the need to remove it from the tool or for
particular to reduce levels of hazardous redundant sealing systems. This would keep the
waste. sterilisation process as simple as possible, while
Another approach is to use standard DC also reducing the size of the tool.
motors attached to a non-autoclavable Only a limited number of motor manufacturers
electronics and battery package. This requires can design such motors, but Portescap is among
surgical staff to remove the motor/battery pack prior them, and is a leading supplier of autoclavable
to tool sterilisation. The concern here, though, is motors for powered surgical hand tools. Tests have
that these non-sterile components have to be placed demonstrated that these motors are able to survive
back into a sterile surgical tool – special processes in excess of 1,000 sterilisation cycles, which often
have to be followed by medical staff, opening up the far exceeds the expected life of the surgical hand
potential for user error. A second issue is that tool itself.
surgical staff may forget to remove the non- In addition, Portescap offers complete motor
autoclavable components prior to sterilisation; customisation tailored around surgical hand tool
submitting this to autoclave processes will manufacturer needs. There are options for custom
inevitably result in premature electrical failure. shaft cannulation, cross holes, gear ratios,
Another approach is to use a regular DC motor windings, pin connections and temperature
permanently attached to the tool and try to seal it optimisation. Portescap has a full product line
from the outside environment. However in most selection with motor and planetary gearhead
cases this results in very bulky designs due to the diameters ranging for from 12.7mm to 38.1mm.
sealing redundancy needed to achieve satisfactory More and more surgical tool manufacturers are
performance. coming to see the benefits of autoclavable brushless
We can see, then, that motor selection has a motor technology. Combining superior performance
direct impact on the effectiveness of sterilisation, as and best-in-class power density with the inherent
well as on tool reliability and servicing cost. And capability to survive autoclave sterilisation
while it might be tempting to select an inexpensive processes, these motors help to guarantee safety in
non-autoclavable motor, it may result in a more surgical processes while ultimately reducing total
expensive end product when additional costs are cost of ownership.
taken into consideration. The motor selection will www.portescap.com

August 2020 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY EXTRA! • p5