Official Achievement Announcement

We officially launch the Jingmou Series ultra‑precision distal housings, marking a milestone breakthrough in endoscope distal‑end integration technology. Boasting extreme dimensional and positional tolerances of ±0.005 mm, the product perfectly encapsulates miniature cameras, illumination optical fibres, fluid channels and instrument working channels within a minimal‑diameter space of just 1.5 mm. By combining 5‑axis CNC micromilling with micro‑electrical discharge machining (micro‑EDM), we have achieved burr‑free manufacturing of complex multi‑lumen geometries with sharp internal profiles, providing an impeccable structural foundation for next‑generation high‑definition, 3D and robot‑assisted endoscopes.

R&D Background & Pain Points

Manufacturing conventional endoscope distal components has long been constrained by the trade‑off between functional integration and structural strength. To accommodate increasingly miniaturized CMOS/CCD sensors, higher‑pixel optical modules and additional functional channels, internal housing structures have grown more complex. However, traditional machining methods (e.g., drilling, 2.5‑axis milling) struggle to produce high‑precision, irregular‑shaped lumens at the microscale. Unsharp internal corners cause micron‑level misalignment of optical components, triggering image distortion, optical path loss or uneven illumination. Burrs and micro‑irregularities inside lumens scratch delicate fibre bundles and sensor cables, serving as a leading cause of premature device failure. Clinical feedback indicates that approximately 15% of endoscope image‑quality issues (such as vignetting, distortion and pixel anomalies) stem from insufficient manufacturing precision of distal housings.

Core Technological Innovations

• Hybrid Process of 5‑Axis Linked Micromilling and Micro‑EDMWe have developed a proprietary hybrid manufacturing workflow of milling first, then EDM finishing. First, ultra‑hard‑alloy micro‑cutters with a minimum diameter of 0.1 mm are used on a 5‑axis CNC machine to perform micron‑level micromilling on medical‑grade stainless steel or titanium alloy, preliminarily forming primary lumens. Micro‑EDM is then applied to precision internal right‑angle corners, deep narrow grooves and ultra‑thin ribs (down to 0.05 mm) inaccessible to milling cutters. With self‑developed on‑line electrode dressing and path‑compensation algorithms, micro‑EDM achieves dimensional precision of ±2 μm and surface roughness of Ra ≤ 0.2 μm, perfectly realizing sharp internal corners and burr‑free surfaces.
• Closed‑Loop Machining Compensation System Based on On‑Machine ProbesHigh‑precision contact probes and white‑light interferometers are integrated into machine tools. After key processing steps, in‑situ workpiece measurements are conducted to capture real‑time data including lumen dimensions, position accuracy and circularity. The system compares measured data with CAD models, predicts tool wear and thermal deformation errors via artificial‑intelligence algorithms, and dynamically compensates in subsequent processing steps. This controls the standard deviation of batch‑to‑batch critical dimensional fluctuations within 0.0015 mm, enabling extreme‑tolerance mass production.
• Multi‑Stage Nanoscale Surface Finishing TechnologyPost‑processing involves a three‑step workflow: electrochemical polishing‑magnetorheological polishing‑supercritical CO₂ cleaning. Electrochemical polishing removes several microns of surface material to smooth micro‑peaks and valleys. Magnetorheological polishing delivers nanoscale finishing for critical areas such as optical mounting surfaces, achieving a mirror‑grade finish (Ra ≤ 0.05 μm). Final supercritical CO₂ cleaning completely removes submicron‑scale residual particles and oil films without damage, creating an ideal substrate for subsequent sterile bonding and precise alignment of optical components.

Working Mechanism

The core mechanism of this product lies in constructing an absolutely precise physical coordinate system for light and information. Every lumen and positioning surface inside the housing acts as a micro‑assembly base for optical and electronic components. A tolerance of ±0.005 mm ensures that the optical‑axis deviation between the camera‑sensor plane and optical lens group is kept below the threshold for perceptible image distortion. Sharp internal corners enable gap‑free fitting of irregular optical components (e.g., D‑shaped CMOS sensors), preventing micro‑movement caused by thermal expansion and contraction during sterilization or clinical use. Burr‑free internal channels protect 125‑μm‑diameter optical fibres from damage during repeated insertion and withdrawal, ensuring consistent illumination brightness and uniformity. Ultra‑thin yet uniform rib walls (0.05 mm) maximize internal space utilization while maintaining overall structural rigidity via finite‑element‑optimized design, resisting complex stresses generated when the endoscope bends inside the human body.

Performance Validation

In optical alignment tests, endoscope modules equipped with Jingmou housings achieve a coaxiality error of less than 0.01° between the camera optical axis and mechanical axis, and parallelism within 1 arc‑second between the lens focal plane and sensor plane, far exceeding industry standards. On ISO 8600‑3 standard resolution test charts, the finished endoscope shows an MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) attenuation difference of less than 5% between central and peripheral regions, demonstrating superior optical‑alignment consistency. In reliability tests, after 5 000 cycles of high‑temperature‑high‑pressure sterilization, dimensional changes of key mounting surfaces are less than 0.002 mm, with no corrosion or particle generation observed inside lumens. Application data from multiple endoscope manufacturers shows that adoption of this housing raises the first‑pass yield of overall image quality inspection by an average of 18% and reduces after‑sales repair rates caused by distal‑component issues by 60%.

R&D Strategy & Philosophy

We uphold the R&D philosophy: Precision is the cornerstone of integration, and structure is the carrier of function. Our strategic approach is deriving component precision from system‑level requirements. Rather than pursuing isolated machining indicators for individual parts, we deeply engage with customers' optical and system design, understanding alignment tolerance chains for camera modules, bending‑radius limits for fibre bundles, and hydrodynamic requirements for irrigation channels. These system‑level demands are progressively decomposed and mapped to manufacturing tolerances and surface requirements for every geometric feature on the housing.To this end, we have established a cross‑disciplinary joint design team covering optics, mechanics and materials science. Model‑Based Definition (MBD) technology is adopted, using 3D models containing all tolerances and annotations as the sole source of truth for design and manufacturing, ensuring lossless transmission from design intent to finished products.

Future Outlook

In the future, distal housings will evolve beyond passive structural components into active intelligent platforms. We are developing housings integrated with micro‑light‑guiding structures, where micro‑structured optical waveguides within the housing replace partial illumination‑fibre functions to further free up internal space. Meanwhile, we explore direct additive manufacturing of embedded micro‑channels inside housings for local drug delivery or temperature control. Looking further ahead, we research heterogeneous‑material integrated manufacturing, aiming to directly mould insulating or bioactive ceramic/polymer functional zones at specific locations on metal housings, realizing monolithic integration of structural, electrical and biological functions.By 2030, we expect to launch sensory intelligent distal tips embedded with miniature MEMS sensors (e.g., pressure, temperature, pH), enabling endoscopes to capture real‑time multi‑dimensional biochemical data alongside imaging, ushering in a new era of diagnostic endoscopy.