Motor technology that gets under your skin

摘要

Tattoo professionals consider themselves to be artists; accordingly, their tattoo devices are the equipment with which they realise their art. They are occupied for many hours, without a break, when creating a large-scale tattoo. Modern tattoo machines are therefore characterised by a low intrinsic weight and the flexibility to adapt to individual movements. What is also desirable for the work procedures is that the device operates quietly and with low-vibration, and it fits the hand well. At first glance, a tattoo machine functions similarly to a sewing machine: one or more needles oscillate and thereby puncture the skin. The pigment is injected at the desired part of the body at a rate of several thousand pricks per minute. A seasoned tattoo artist neither punctures the skin too shallow nor too deep; ideally, he or she gets to the middle layer of skin. Because, if it is applied too superficially, the tattoo will not be permanent; if the punctures go too deep there will be bleeding, which would influence the dispersion of the injected pigment.