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Chris Johnson predicts that future medical robots can be used extra to supply sufferers with emotional help 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 towards 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 stated these robots will “be solid extra as companions offering emotional help, slightly than seen as instruments.” The quote refers to synthetic intelligence changing into extra superior, permitting robots to supply extra therapeutic help to sufferers in methods we are able to’t think about immediately and to counter employees shortages.
From surgical help robots that assist carry out minimally invasive procedures to therapeutic robots to help rehabilitation for accidents and paralysis, the know-how has come a good distance since easy robotic arms have been first launched within the Eighties. Though surgical robots have gotten cheaper, fashionable medical purposes are additionally demanding greater precision and velocity 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 akin to martensitic stainless-steel. Examples embody medical robots that assist undertake keyhole surgical procedure the place the utmost precision is required. Surgical robotic bearings should ship the best potential rotational accuracy whereas additionally being sufficiently small to suit into these typically compact and moveable hospital gadgets.
Nonetheless, metal bearings have limitations together with contamination. Whereas metal bearings are powerful and able to withstanding extremely corrosive environments, they’re prone to particulate contamination because of the very excessive contact pressures towards the metal inside the bearing whereas it strikes. If left unchecked, this contamination could cause denting and put on.
In fact, contamination normally is unacceptable in well being and security environments. As robots change into extra prevalent in medical purposes, rules are getting stricter to forestall contamination.
Be taught from Agility Robotics, Amazon, Disney, Teradyne and lots of extra.
Ceramic can change metal, says SMB Bearings
All of those components 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 line with the Institute of Supplies, Minerals, and Mining, “ceramic bearings produced from ZrO₂ are powerful, with related growth properties to stainless steel and 440 stainless-steel, though they’re 30% lighter.”
Certainly, full ceramic precision bearings are more durable than metal, with superior corrosion and warmth resistance, greater dimensional stability, and decrease density. Nonetheless, ceramic bearings are costly. This can be a huge concern for well being institutes that function inside tight budgets, so the choice to put money into them should be well-considered. Happily, ceramic bearings maintain an a variety of benefits for medical environments.
One is that the bearings don’t react to chemical substances. Meaning they don’t corrode or weaken when subjected to harsh chemical substances 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 may be washed down often.
The necessity to keep away from contamination accompanies different design necessities akin to excessive speeds, low noise, and non-magnetic properties. As an illustration, as a result of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners use a robust magnetic discipline to generate two- or three-dimensional photographs of any residing 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
Spend money on the best supplies for high-value purposes
So, is investing in ceramic bearings for medical environments price it? There are nonetheless sure purposes the place the velocity and precision of metal are essential, like in surgical robots. Nonetheless, there are different situations the place utilizing the flawed parts in such medical or laboratory tools can contaminate examine situations or trigger the examine to stop altogether.
As an alternative, the additional funding in ceramic bearings may help be certain that medical robots run with effectiveness and longevity — particularly as they’re “solid extra as companions offering emotional help, slightly than seen as instruments.”
Concerning 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.