In recent years, electronic equipment manufacturer D has focused on the manufacture and sale of digital signage, and handles everything from hardware development to system construction, implementation consulting, and operation.
This time, the company was developing a vending machine with digital signage functionality for shopping malls. Initially, they had been developing a fanless design, but because they were installing an LCD display on the front of the vending machine, it generated more heat than expected, so they decided that cooling with a fan was necessary. However, they ran into an issue with selecting the right fan.
A few years ago, when the company used a foreign-made fan in one of its products, it ran into problems with the fan stopping after a short period of time and frequently breaking down. Mr. I from the Development Department at Company D explained:
"From past bitter experiences, we learned that fans must be selected carefully because they affect the performance of the entire hardware. The expected lifespan of an LCD display is 50,000 to 60,000 hours, so a long-life performance and reliability comparable to that is essential. However, we could not afford to use an expensive Long Life Fan."
*For more information on fan lifespan, see Knowledge Fan Basics: Fan Lifespan
In addition, the fan was required to have both high airflow and low noise. It is important that the fan has enough airflow to cool the heat generated by the backlights, yet is quiet enough not to bother users.
"It was a strategic product that showed a variety of content on a large LCD display and incorporated a variety of functions, such as a motion sensor and touch panel, so we had to make sure that its development was successful. To achieve this, we needed a fan that not only had a long life, but also a high airflow and was low noise," said I.
Under these circumstances, Company D exhibited at a certain electronics-related exhibition. There, Mr. I found a clue to the solution by consulting a sales representative from SANYO DENKI CO., LTD. who happened to be visiting the company's booth.
Later, the SANYO DENKI CO., LTD. representative interviewed Mr. I in detail about the problem and immediately proposed a "DC Cooling Fan" measuring 80 mm square and 25 mm thick. This proposal greatly satisfied Mr. I.
"We promptly ordered an evaluation sample and it was delivered in just two days. Thanks to this, we were able to significantly shorten the evaluation time. The proposed fan had sufficient airflow and high cooling performance, while also being quiet enough not to be bothersome.
In addition, with an expected lifespan of 60,000 hours at an ambient temperature of 60°C, it also met the requirement of a long lifespan. Above all, the decisive factor was that high reliability was maintained through full inspection. Having found the optimal fan for this device gave momentum to development." (Mr. I)
"Each device is equipped with four fans, and they suggested that we use a temperature sensor to control the fans' on/off operation, so that they only run when the temperature inside the device is high. The LCD displays don't always run at maximum brightness, so when the fans are stopped, we can further reduce noise and, most importantly, it was a great idea that would also reduce power consumption." (Mr. I)
After this, Company D successfully completed the development project and received high praise from the market.
Following this success, the development department at Company D decided to ask SANYO DENKI CO., LTD. to select fans for their next product, which they are currently developing.
"They made the right selection for our diverse applications and operating environments. We were amazed at the wide range of products they had available to meet all our needs. We plan to continue consulting with SANYO DENKI CO., LTD. in the future."
For more information about axial fans, please see "What is an axial fan? Its features, structure and usage."
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