"PWM Controller" allows you to freely control your fan!

Full HD image processing engines generate more heat, making heat management an issue

Company O, a manufacturer and supplier of security-related equipment including surveillance cameras, recently began developing a high-resolution Full HD outdoor surveillance camera system. However, the company faced several challenges related to thermal management within the device. Mr. T, the leader of Company O’s design and development team, explains:

“The new camera system we’re developing is equipped with a high-performance video processing engine, which generates a significant amount of heat inside the device,” explains Mr. T. “Initially, we considered using high-airflow fans, but their high rotational speed caused vibrations that led to image blurring. On the other hand, low-speed fans reduced vibration but couldn’t provide sufficient airflow to manage the heat effectively.”

Mr. T was in a difficult position and continued to gather information in his search for a fan with high airflow and low vibration.

Considering a fan with PWM control function, but unable to manufacture the controller in-house...

As Mr. T continued to gather information, he became interested in the fan's "PWM control" function.

"We found that if the fan had PWM control function, we could control the fan speed by inputting a pulse signal. We hoped that this function would also solve the issue of noise. Because the security camera system will be operated outdoors 24 hours a day, we thought that we could reduce the fan speed at night, when the temperature is relatively low, to suppress noise. We therefore considered developing a PWM control circuit in-house, but the man-hours required to design a new board and the evaluation period were longer than we expected, so we gave up on the idea." (Mr. T)

Fan control is achieved with SANYO DENKI 's DC Cooling Fan and "PWM Controller"!

While continuing his research, Mr. T consulted a sales representative from SANYO DENKI about the challenges he was facing. Through this discussion, he was able to identify a potential solution.
“Initially, I consulted them about the vibration issues we were experiencing with our fans,” says Mr. T. “They proposed that simply replacing our existing fans with SANYO DENKI models could reduce vibration. I was intrigued by their detailed explanation, which included structural design features that minimize vibration, precise balancing during the manufacturing process, and high assembly accuracy. Since our surveillance camera system includes components that are sensitive to heat, the cooling fan plays a critical role. We had been struggling to balance image quality and system performance, but with SANYO DENKI’s DC Fans, we saw the potential to achieve both effective cooling and reduced vibration.”

Since the proposed fan included a PWM control function, I also brought up the controller circuit development we had previously abandoned,” Mr. T explains. “In response, the SANYO DENKI sales representative suggested a board-type PWM controller as a solution.
“I was impressed by how easy it was to use the San Ace PWM Controller—just connect it to the fan and it’s ready to go,” says Mr. T. “Thanks to the thermistor, which detects internal device temperature, the fan speed is automatically adjusted based on thermal conditions. As a result, we were able to reduce noise by an additional 30 dB during nighttime hours when less airflow is needed.”

What's more, power consumption is reduced to 1/5...we have succeeded in developing a product with performance that exceeds expectations!

Thus, after an internal evaluation, Company O decided to officially adopt SANYO DENKI 's DC Cooling Fan and board-type PWM Controller.
"By adjusting the rotation speed to suit our needs, we were able to cut power consumption to one-fifth, and in addition to reducing vibration and noise, we were able to advance the development of a high-image-quality security camera system with energy-saving performance. Thanks to the proposal that met our requirements, we were able to develop a device with performance that exceeded our expectations. We are very grateful.
"The demands on security equipment are becoming more and more sophisticated, and the competition in development is likely to intensify in the future. We look forward to SANYO DENKI providing us with optimal proposals in the future." (Mr. T)