You don’t have to look tough

to be tough
Durability, it’s part of the Voluson SWIFT design

Everyone we talk to says, “Hey, it looks nice, but how durable is it?” It can be rough out there
and that’s why we made sure that durability was part of the Voluson™ SWIFT design right from
the beginning.

Need proof? We did the testing and created this paper to demonstrate the rigorous reliability
and durability testing we do to make sure that your Voluson SWIFT can handle more than
just your everyday use.

gehealthcare.com
Beyond the basics. You name it. We tested it.
We get it. A touch-based system… how durable can it be? We wondered, too. Could it endure more than the
normal everyday wear and tear ultrasound systems encounter and take a beating when things get tough?

A compact, lightweight system with a large touch screen could be perceived as delicate and that’s why from
the earliest design stages, we started with durability as a foundational concept. It had to meet rigorous
standards for reliability and durability.

Here is some of what we did to pressure-test that design:

Impact resistant glass

Probe cables are routed

around the system to
keep them off the floor

Rugged metal frame

with easily replaceable
covers

Base designed
for stability

Big casters roll over

rough surfaces
Shake it up.
Using a shaker table, the system was subjected to
hundreds of hours of shake testing.

After completion, the system was thoroughly

investigated for any mechanical issues or
operational deficits.

This data was then used to make design

improvements, including reinforcement of specific
mechanical elements, addition of brackets to secure
connectors, and changes to the shape of parts to
reinforce durability. Voluson SWIFT test model on a shaker table

Crash tested.
To further test the mechanical limits of the design, we crashed the system into a sharp edged, steel barrier
at speed to identify and redesign any potential system durability and stability issues.

Get over it.

Thresholds, entryways and elevators are common when moving a system and that’s why we simulated and
tested to these barriers. By running the system across a threshold at speed, hundreds of times at various
angles, we identified mechanical issues and failures that could impact durability.

Up, down, all around.

For testing the robustness of the height adjustment mechanism, 15,000 continuous up/down cycles
were completed. With a high standard to pass, the mechanism must move smoothly without any change in
push or pull force to complete the motion to be considered acceptable. Then, we applied 100 and 150 kg
to each of the supporting mechanisms testing for system stability and durability of the mechanisms.

The touch display was also subjected to the same rigorous test of 15,000 continuous up/down cycles with
the same high pass criteria: no change in push/pull force or loosening of mechanism.

Height mechanism and column durability test Monitor adjustment test

The heat is on.
Testing the system in a specialized temperature and humidity chamber from -40°C – +60°C and 10% – 95%
humidity for 135 hours ensured the system could endure any conditions encountered during transport or
shipment. As temperature and humidity extremes were applied, the team continuously monitored the system
software looking for changes in behavior and confirmed the entire system, including all components and
subsystems functioned normally.

Sometimes accidents happen.

While we never recommend that you drop your system, we know accidents happen. That’s why in addition to
the standard shake test, we simulated even more extreme shaking events, that could be encountered during
transport. We even dropped a fully packaged system 10 times on every edge. These extreme tests allowed us
to further improve the system design and develop secure packaging to ensure the system arrives to your
facility safe and sound.

While we can’t account for

everything you’ll encounter, we’ve
certainly done the work to make
sure your Voluson SWIFT is
reliable, durable and can handle
everything you throw at it.

© GE, 2021
GE Healthcare reserves the right to make changes in specifications and features shown herein, or discontinue the
product described at any time without notice or obligation. Contact your GE Healthcare representative for the most
current information. GE, the GE Monogram and Voluson are trademarks of GE. GE Healthcare, a division of GE. GE
Medical Systems, Inc., doing business as GE Healthcare.
May 2021
JB15853XX