issue: December 2006 APPLIANCE Magazine Europe Report New Dyson Vacuum Motor Also Powers Hand Dryer	Share  Printable format  Email this Article  Search
by Paul Roggema, Europe Correspondent UK bagless vacuum pioneer Dyson added a new innovation to its already impressive track record.

Dyson is introducing the canister vacuum DC12 in the United Kingdom and U.S. markets. This model, already sold in Japan as Baby Dyson, is unique for its ultra-compact size, achieved by using the internally developed Dyson Digital Motor (DDM), with a fan speed up to 100,000 rpm. Airflow design was inspired by the turbo charger technology used in jet engines. The brushless motor is computer controlled and said to be half the size of a conventional motor.
The fan required a special grade of material. Dyson considered several materials, including cast aluminum, before it selected a grade Victrex plc’s PEEK™ polymer that offered the right durability and fatigue strength. Grade 450CA30 is a semi crystalline thermoplastic from the polyetherketone family and is said to offer a high grade of dimensional stability and molding tolerance accuracy, which helps when it comes to manufacturing the complex fan design.
The motor also powers Dyson’s new Airblade hand dryer. Here, the ultra-high air speed is said to blow the water off of hands, instead of drying them through evaporation, so no air heating is required. With the airspeed further enhanced by very narrow air outlets, the unit is said to dry two hands simultaneously in 10 seconds.