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Cooling fan runs for over twenty years on test - so far!

Leading manufacturer of equipment cooling fans and solutions Papst has demonstrated a fan that has been on continuous test for over twenty years! Deep in Germany's Black Forest region at Papst's worldwide HQ the aptly titled 'Marathon' fan has been running continuously for a massive 175,000 hrs.

The fans, Papst types 6148 (48V dc) and 7650 (220V ac) have been in operation throughout the period without any problems. They have been running continuously at 40ºC under a once a month stop/start cycle. Over that time the shafts have made over 30 billion revolutions, and the outer edges of the fan blades, based on 2870 rpm, have traveled over 13 million kilometers - equivalent to 30 flights to the moon.

While the figures themselves are quite impressive, the achievement is even more important due to the fact that no maintenance was ever carried out on the fans. This genuine field test shows that simulation programs implemented 20 years ago, coupled with the materials used, fully met the company's own quality requirements. This has led to increased 'added-value' for the customer by way of improved reliability and longer service-life. Indeed the trial adds weight to statements by Papst concerning products' service-life, proving that such claims are not just 'sales talk', but have a solid engineering basis.

Modern electronics rely heavily on forced air cooling and not surprisingly fan manufacturers claim their products are highly reliability for today's increasingly' demanding applications. Given these latest test results, few are better placed than Papst to demonstrate this.

By definition a cooling fan is designed to remove excessive heat. Fan failure occurs due to the effects of high temperatures degrading the bearing lubricant over time combined with the mechanical stress of continuous operation in hostile thermal environments. Generally speaking DC fans will last longer than AC fans and typically operate from -20 to +70°C with life expectancies of between 35,000-80,000 hrs depending on the model and operating conditions.

Papst's 'Marathon Fan' is a demonstrable testament to the company's experience and reputation for high quality cooling fans. Indeed every Papst fan is subjected to rigorous quality standards and is the culmination of over 50 trend setting years of experience.