Quiet Gearmotors for Medical Equipment

On medical imaging systems, for example mammography machines, sometimes gearmotors are used to raise and lower a scanner to the level of a person being scanned. For these applications, smooth movement and ultra-quiet operation are the main design considerations. To achieve these objectives, Bodine's design engineers concentrated on four essential aspects of the gearmotor design.

Worm Gear Technology

In order to keep the noise down, Bodine suggested a worm gearing right angle gearmotor. Worm gears work with sliding action so therefore less noise generation than spur and helical type gears. A further advantage of using worm gears is that they maintain their orientation even after power has been shut off, so the scanner does not move accidentally.

Precision-Machined Components

Every mating surface between the motor and gearhousing was machined for precise positioning of the worm and helical gears, as well as the motor armature, and there were no exceptions in this case. Alignment : it does reduce internal vibration that can cause extra noise. Unlike most competitive products, each Bodine gearmotor is constructed with precision-machined, surfaced in order to provide smooth and quiet operation.

Ball Bearing Support

The driveshaft also has ball bearings to eliminate thrust loads on the shaft, thus preventing it from sliding fore and aft through the gear box. By applying ball bearings directly onto the shaft, Bodine’s engineers guarantee it stays securely installed and produce less operational noise while its products also last longer.

Reduced Brush and Commutator Noise

The team of engineers also addressed brush and commutator noise. Special turning commutators were developed for vibration and reduction of contact arcing. The holder for the brushes is pressfitted in motor endshield to avoid chattering and both brushes material and shape were also designed to ensure smoothest operation.

Experience That Matters

With over 110 years of motor and motion control design and manufacturing experience, Bodine Electric focuses on delivering superior product quality and customer service. Whether your requirement is for quiet operation, reliable timing at constant speeds or rugged duty throughout an extended service life, Bodine is the co-operative partner that you can trust to create a fractional horsepower gearmotor specifically tailored to meet our needs.

Bodine Electric engineers bring 110 years of application engineering and problem solving experience to a wide range of applications in industries as diverse as medical, packaging, industrial automation, and solar powered outdoors equipment. We look forward to working with you on your next FHP gearmotor design challenge.

To learn more about Bodine Gearmotor Solutions in Medical Applications,
click here.