The COVID-19 crisis has taken a heavy toll on hospital resources all over the world, seriously challenging medical devices' ability to maintain full-load operation over extended periods of time. Hospitals rely on high-quality uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems to protect their mission-critical devices and support them with a stable and continuous power supply so that they maintain reliable operation to keep patients healthy and safe.
In view of the importance of UPS products to the healthcare industry, APD's UPS business team has built a series of customized lithium-ion UPS products based on its robust R&D capabilities. Not only does it aim to provide high-reliability and high-quality power solutions for factory automation, 5G and IoT applications but it also targets medical applications as a key focus area.
According to Peter Hu, general manager of APD's UPS business team, comprising a core group of engineers previously from Phoenixtec, has robust capabilities in UPS technology and has been devoted to developing and manufacturing customized UPS for leading Japanese firms for many years. Rising popularity of electric cars is driving advances in lithium-ion battery technology, making lithium-ion batteries available at continuingly lower costs and with continuingly enhanced safety. Eyeing the potential of lithium-ion UPS going forward, APD is actively engaging in customized lithium-ion UPS development. In line with its corporate strategy to target special-purpose applications and niche products, APD is focusing efforts toward power protection solutions for healthcare IT systems (including databases, servers and computers used by healthcare institutions and professionals).
APD's lithium-ion UPS products feature compact and lightweight design, long product life and easy maintenance
Hu noted using lithium-ion batteries in place of traditional lead-acid batteries for UPS systems has multiple benefits. Lithium-ion battery UPS systems have twice the energy density and twice the life span compared to lead-acid battery UPS systems, so they enable a significant reduction in maintenance and replacement costs. Their footprint is also reduced by half, in keeping with users' expectation for small and lightweight UPS systems. Lithium-ion batteries are superior to lead-acid batteries for UPS systems in every way. With growing and wide-spread use, their prices will become more competitive. There is no better time than now for businesses to incorporate lithium-ion UPS products.
APD's UL 60601-1 certified lithium-ion UPS is proven to effectively reduce leakage current and electromagnetic interference, enabling optimal protection for medical devices. Furthermore, in consideration of the fact that a lithium-ion UPS system packs twice the energy density in half the footprint of traditional systems, APD takes every precaution to design their systems with safe components. It selects only premium quality protection conponents that comply with the most rigorous standards so medical device manufacturers and users can rest assured of the safety of APD's lithium-ion UPS products.
Aside from hospitals, factories also suffered COVID-19 impact. Labor shortage resulting from quarantines and lockdowns is now compelling manufacturers to speed up their transition toward factory automation, giving rise to increasing demand for UPS systems. Hu pointed out that designing UPS systems for factory automation applications is particularly challenging as they must be able to sustain extreme temperature conditions when operating at unmanned factories with minimum air conditioning. Moreover, they often need to come with different I/O connectors and interface ports to accommodate special power supply configurations. Some manufacturers require zero downtime switchover, which is a challenge to APD but also a force driving APD forward.
APD foresees surging UPS demand from 5G and IoT applications going forward in the future. Most 5G and IoT devices operate in remote environments with poor electricity supply so they are in need of UPS systems with higher performance, longer life span, smaller size, lighter weight and wider operating temperature range. These are all APD's advantages and will help APD expand into the 5G and IoT application markets.
In summary, APD's UPS systems enable the most reliable protection for medical devices and factory automation machinery so users can rest assured that their mission-critical equipment will maintain stable and uninterrupted operation, especially in this unprecedented situation.
Peter Hu, general manager of APD's UPS business team
APD new lithium-ion UPS series
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