Maintenance-free and lubrication-free testing machine

Completely maintenance-free drylin bearings are used in this testing device for silicone breast implants

This machine is used to test the durability of silicone breast implants. For this purpose, the implants are placed on a metal plate. A stepper motor is used to lower a second plate from above, which exerts pressure on the implant. The mechanism was realised with the help of drylin linear guide systems, which ensure uniform movement of the plates. The system is also completely lubrication-free, which is an advantage for medical applications.

Profile

What was needed: Linear bearings from the drylin modular system: drylin T linear rail guides, drylin SD lead screw drives
Requirements: The equipment had to achieve a compression of the implants of 20%, whereby the linear guide had to be maintenance-free and without lubrication in the long term.
Industry: medical equipment
Success for the customer: Today, drylin linear technology enables highly robust, clean, lubrication-free, efficient and simple movements in all system parts that require movement. Their low coefficient of friction increases the service life of the devices and minimises maintenance costs.

Problem

This testing machine from the LAMEF/UFGRS research institute is used in the field of biomedical engineering and carries out fatigue tests on breast implants. The device is used to qualify the implants for further use in accordance with the ISO 14607:2013 standard. The test device can test up to four implants at the same time in clean and automated operation.
For this purpose, the equipment should have moving parts to allow compression of the implants to 20% of their original height and mechanical bending immediately after compression of the implants (to simulate a walking movement of a person with implants). The guide had to be maintenance-free and lubrication-free in the long term, as this is essential for health laboratory equipment.

Solution

In the machine design, linear bearing systems from the drylin modular product system were used, which allow highly robust, clean, lubrication-free, efficient and simple movements in all system parts that require movement. Their low coefficient of friction increases the service life of the devices and minimises maintenance requirements:
The torque transmission from the stepper motor to the compression system of the implants was realised with drylin SD lead screw drives (screw and nut). Another set of drylin SD lead screw drives was used in the same equipment for torque transmission from the gearbox to the mechanical bending system, which enables testing in the vertical direction. Two sets of drylin T profile rail guides with a linear guide and two carriages were used to guide the bending system horizontally. To guide the movable stem, in which the plates compressing the implants are fixed, a set of drylin T profile rail guides with a linear guide and four carriages were used to enable cyclical and abrupt movement over the implants in accordance with the standard.

Overview of drylin linear bearing technology