Miniature Motors Ensure Accurate Medication Delivery in Hospital Settings

Optimum Motor Selection for Medical Infusion Systems Series

Infusion systems are responsible for delivering the required drug or nutrition both accurately and reliably, making these systems a critical aspect of patient care. The motion solution plays a key role in this drug delivery, whether a fraction of a milliliter, a large dose, or done in a hospital or in-home setting. With different motor technologies available, it is important to select the one most suited for the requirements of each device. In this blog series, we review the primary applications and the ideal motor technology options for each.

 

Part 1: Miniature Motors Ensure Accurate Medication Delivery in Hospital Settings

From surgery to recovery, clinicians and patients alike rely on pumps for the safe and accurate administration of medications. The pump must deliver the drug exactly as prescribed, with the range of delivery varying from short to continuous durations and flows ranging from a few milliliters to a liter per hour. As the motion solution is the force behind that delivery, motor technology selection becomes key for the pump designer.

Key Considerations for Hospital Infusion Pump Motors

When designing the motion solution for hospital infusion pumps, it’s critical to have a solid understanding of the various considerations involved in the infusion process. These include:

• Flow Rate. The motion solution must be designed to accommodate the various flow rates and handle the full range of medication delivery.
• Noise. Noise is a critical parameter for hospital infusion pumps, as the lower the noise of the motor/pump, the higher the patient comfort during infusion.
• Voltage. Given that the pump typically operates from wall power, sufficient voltage must be available to enable higher speeds from the motor.

Selecting a Motor Technology for Hospital Infusion Pumps

While all three motor technologies – brush DC, brushless, and stepper – can be used in hospital infusion pumps, DC coreless motors provide an ideal balance of the key requirements described above. Portescap's 16mm DC coreless motors offer the high efficiency and high torque density necessary to facilitate the optimum pump layout, while high-quality components and precious metal commutation increase the useful life of the pump for a lower cost of care.

Feedback, typically in the form of an encoder, is necessary to provide confirmation that the drug delivery is proceeding as prescribed; this can be accomplished via miniature high-count encoders that allow accurate and repetitive delivery of fluid. Customized gearing is also available to reduce noise levels for patient comfort.

Portescap’s engineers are ready to discuss the optimum DC Coreless motor for your hospital infusion pump. Reach out to us today!