How ATEK Drive Solutions improves accuracy and efficiency in medical technology.
What exactly is a “wave gear calculator” in the context of medical imaging?
A wave gear calculator is a specialized software, used for the design and simulation of wave gears (also called harmonic drives). It allows engineers to precisely calculate parameters such as torque, ratio, and material behavior to achieve optimal gear properties for high-precision applications in medical imaging systems.
Why are wave gears frequently used in medical imaging?
Wave gears offer a unique combination of characteristics that are ideal for medical imaging: high gear ratios in the smallest footprint, virtually absolute play-free operation for maximum precision and lightweight. These features are crucial for the precise positioning of components in CT, MRI, or ultrasound devices.
How do wave gear calculators contribute to better image quality?
Through the precise simulation and optimization with wave gear calculators, gears can be developed that ensure minimal vibrations and maximum repeatability . This directly leads to sharper images, fewer artifacts and thus more reliable diagnoses. An optimization can, for example, improve the image resolution by important percentage points.
What challenges exist in designing drive systems with wave gears for medical devices?
Challenges include the management of heat generation due to high power density and the sensitivity of the flexspline component to overload. Careful material selection, often supported by simulations in the wave gear calculator, is also necessary to ensure, for example, the MRI compatibility (non-magnetism) and achieve a long service life .
Can ATEK Drive Solutions offer custom wave gear solutions for medical imaging devices?
Yes, ATEK Drive Solutions specializes in developing custom drive solutions. With our expertise and modern calculation tools, including equivalents to wave gear calculators for our gear types, we can design tailored gears that are precisely customized to the specific requirements of your medical imaging application.
How does ATEK ensure the reliability and longevity of its drive solutions for medical technology?
ATEK relies on high-quality materials, precise manufacturing processes, und comprehensive simulations and tests during the development phase. Our gears, optimized through advanced calculation methods, are designed to achieve a service life of over 20,000 operating hours even under demanding conditions.
What role does simulation play in the development of these specialized gears?
Simulation, often using finite element analysis (FEA) and specialized gearbox software, is crucial.It enables the prediction of gearbox behavior under load, the analysis of stress distributions, and the design optimization regarding precision, service life, and efficiency, before physical prototypes are built.
Are there special non-magnetic wave gears available for MRI applications?
Yes, MRI systems require absolutely non-magnetic components. Wave gears can be made from special materials such as titanium or with ceramic components to avoid image artifacts. The development of such specialized gears is supported by precise calculations and material simulations .
Wave gear calculators are critical software tools for optimizing wave gears used in medical imaging for highest precision and can enable an improvement in image resolution by about 3% .
By using optimized wave gear calculators, optimized gears offer significant advantages such as extreme compactness (up to 70% smaller and lighter than conventional planetary gears), virtually play-free operation, and high ratios, making them ideal for demanding medical applications.
Future trends like miniaturization and intelligent, sensor-based systems that enable a increase in system availability by up to 15% are driven by advanced materials and AI-supported design processes in conjunction with wave gear calculators.Discover how wave gear calculators from ATEK Drive Solutions make medical imaging more precise and efficient. Learn more about the technological advances and their applications.
Medical imaging demands the highest standards of precision and reliability. ATEK Drive Solutions offers innovative wave gear calculators that meet and exceed these requirements. Would you like to learn more about our customized solutions? Now get in touch with us! Contact us now!
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Introduction to wave gear calculators in medical imaging
ATEK Drive Solutions contributes to increasing accuracy in medical technology. Advanced calculations support more precise diagnoses and allow the optimization of medical systems.
The invisible precision in diagnostics
The clarity of a diagnosis can depend on a component often overlooked. The precision of a drive begins with its exact calculation, long before manufacturing. An improvement of only 3% in image resolution achieved through optimized gear parameters can make the finest tissue structures visible. Our planetary gears provide a solid foundation for this.
Software as the key to optimized imaging
This level of detail in modern imaging techniques is achieved through highly advanced software, called wave gear calculators. These specialized calculation programs for wave gears enable complex simulations and optimizations of gear properties. Research institutions like ETH Zurich use similar simulation approaches to model wave propagation in the brain and refine imaging. ATEK offers industry-specific solutions for Food & Medicine.Basics of wave gears and their calculation
Operating principle of wave gears
Wave gears, also called harmonic drives, are particularly suitable for precise applications due to their operating principle: It is based on the elastic deformation of a flexible spline (flex spline) that is moved by an elliptical wave generator and engages with a rigid outer gearing. This design allows for high ratios, for example, 100:1, in the smallest footprint and virtually no play, which is important for our servo motors. The role of exact calculations and simulations
The calculation of these gears is complex, as
the exact prediction of the deformation of the flexspline under load and the analysis of the stress distribution are critical for service life and precision. Finite element analyses (FEA) are standard in this regard and can, often supported by Finite-Elemente-Analysen (FEA) sind hierbei Standard und können, oft unterstützt durch specific software for gear design, require computation times of several hours per simulation run to achieve optimal results. For specific requirements, Hygienic Design gears are available.Applications in various modalities of medical imaging
Precise movements in ultrasound and CT
Ultrasound and CT systems benefit from this technology: In ultrasound devices, wave gears ensure the exact, jerk-free guidance of the probes, which is particularly important for high image quality in 3D/4D recordings. In CT scanners, they enable vibration-free rotation of the gantry at speeds of up to 2 revolutions per second. For this, our low-vibration gears for ultrasound scanners.
- ensure precise and jerk-free guidance of probes in ultrasound devices.
- Contribution to high image quality, especially in 3D/4D ultrasound recordings.
- Enabling low-vibration rotation of the gantry in CT scanners.
- Support of CT gantry speeds of up to 2 revolutions per second.
- Meeting the MRI requirement for absolutely non-magnetic components to avoid image artifacts.
- Ensuring the highest positioning accuracy for gradient coils in MRI systems.
Specific requirements in MRI
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) poses special challenges: MRI systems require absolutely non-magnetic components to avoid image artifacts while maintaining the highest positioning accuracy for the gradient coils. Special wave gears made from non-magnetic materials like titanium or ceramic components, whose development is supported by precise wave gear calculators, therefore, advanced simulation software for wave gears, meet these criteria. ATEK also offers stainless steel planetary gears for cleanroom use..Advantages and challenges of using wave gear calculators
Strengths: Compactness and Accuracy
Through wave gear calculators optimized gears, that is, those which have been precisely designed using calculation tools for harmonic drives , offer significant advantages: They stand out for their combination of high ratio, extreme compactness, and virtually complete play-free operation. A wave gear can, for example, be up to 70% smaller and lighter than a conventional planetary gear at the same torque. This is advantageous for micro-positioning in optics..
Challenges: Material and thermal management
Certain aspects require special attention in design: The high power density can lead to significant heat generation, and the flexspline component is sensitive to overload. Careful thermal design and material selection, supported by simulations with appropriate design software for wave gears., are therefore necessary to ensure a lifespan of over 20,000 operating hours. Relevant here are also our high-precision Gear Boxes for semiconductor manufacturing.Future developments and trends
miniaturization and intelligent systems
Future developments in drives for medical technology aim at the ongoing miniaturization to integrate drives into handheld diagnostic devices or endoscopic instruments. In parallel, integrated sensors enable continuous condition monitoring and predictive maintenance, which can increase system availability by, for example, 15%. The foundation for this is formed by precise gear motors with minimal play.
- trend towards the ongoing miniaturization of drives in medical technology.
- Integration of drives into handheld diagnostic devices and endoscopic instruments.
- Utilization of integrated sensors for continuous condition monitoring and predictive maintenance.
- Increase in system availability (e.g. by 15%) through intelligent systems.
- Advances through materials research, e.g. on shape memory alloys and high-performance plastics.
- Development of lighter and more robust gear components through new materials.
- Increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the design process to optimize and more accurately predict performance.
Advances through new materials and AI
New technologies are driving development forward: Materials research, for example on shape memory alloys or high-performance plastics, opens up potentials for lighter and more robust gear components. Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into the design process to automate the optimization of gear designs and to predict behavior under real operating conditions more accurately, enhancing the effectiveness of shaft gear calculators for medical imaging even further. More information about shaft gear calculators for medical imaging is available.
shaft gear calculators for medical imaging are thus an important factor for advancements in medical imaging, as they enable more precise diagnoses and more efficient devices. ATEK Drive Solutions is committed to innovative drive technology in this field.
