TTI IP&E–Europe’s director technical marketing Europe, Ros Kruger, explains how medical innovations are increasing demand for advanced, reliable and efficient power supplies.
The medical power supply market is experiencing robust growth due to technological advancements, regulatory requirements, increased healthcare spending/home healthcare, expansion in emerging markets, aging populations and the impacts of Covid. Projections place the medical equipment market’s value at $63 billion with growth predicted to up to 10x that value by 2032. The technological requirements required to support this growth are significant.
From robotic surgery systems to life support devices like ventilators, infusion pumps and defibrillators, medical power supplies are integral. They power equipment such as MRI and CT scanners, ultrasound machines and x-ray systems. They are crucial for laser surgery systems, heart monitors, blood pressure devices and home healthcare tools like portable oxygen concentrators and home dialysis equipment.
To meet these needs, TTI Europe’s range of premium manufacturers of medical power supplies is evolving with new product releases of superior performance, uncompromising reliability, assured safety and compliance, more versatility and intuitive features.
High efficiency is paramount to reduce heat generation, improve energy usage and provide a reliable power supply. Precise and stable output power is essential for robotic control movements and low EMI is essential to prevent disruption of sensitive robotic systems.
Effective thermal management is needed to handle heat generated by high-power medical robotics. Instead of noisy, unreliable fans, alternative methods with either thermal conductive plates or liquid cooling methods are now preferred.
High peak power is necessary in laser applications to deliver intense bursts of energy needed to cut or ablate tissue. Higher peak power also leads to more effective treatments, reducing treatment time and tissue damage.
Micro precision is also needed in delicate robotic surgery: peak power enables precise incision and tissue manipulation, improving surgical accuracy and outcomes.
The need for high MTBF will ensure long-term reliability. However, redundancy is also required to ensure continuous operation during power outages and components need to withstand harsh environment and frequent usage. Preventative over voltage, over current and short circuit protection are important to prevent damage to devices.
Regulatory approvals must comply with standards like IEC/UL 60601-1. In addition, patients and operators isolation must be protected from electrical shocks and very low leakage.
Multiple outputs are necessary to provide various voltages required by different parts of medical systems, and a wide range of input voltages should be considered for different geographical regions. Power supplies may also need to be easily scalable using modular design allowing for easy upgrades or software controlled configurable power supplies.
As the medical world continues to innovate, the demand for advanced, reliable, and efficient medical power supplies will only increase. Meeting these future needs is essential for supporting the next generation of healthcare technology.
If you need design support for your medical power supply, please contact our team of TTI Europe Power Supply Experts. We are here to assist with your design requirements.