Request for British Industry to make medical ventilators?
Discussion
Given that this has been mentioned on most news bulletins today, one might think that a quick search would reveal what the preferred design is, what parts, manufacturers and processes are required, etc. Anyone found it?
Making the current version of such machines without reliance on imported parts could be difficult, so will they be reverting to a pre-electronics age design?
Making the current version of such machines without reliance on imported parts could be difficult, so will they be reverting to a pre-electronics age design?
Starfighter said:
I do wonder if this has been thought through. Who holds the design rights etc.? Design approvals take time and there can be massive liability issues to get around.
I'd be pretty happy for my mum to have the benefit of the knock-off JCB ventilator please, and we can all write each other expensive letters later... Starfighter said:
I do wonder if this has been thought through. Who holds the design rights etc.? Design approvals take time and there can be massive liability issues to get around.
There is this challenge for an open source ventilator Open Source Ventilator. Having the end result evaluated by suitably qualified professionals and a appropriate (very accelerated) qualification testing process should get around the liability concerns.Maybe a powered version of a bag valve mask Bag Valve Mask is what is needed quickly, as opposed to the 'all the bells and whistles' ventilator Medical Ventilatorwhich appears to involve a lot of electronics, digital displays etc.?
Edited by GliderRider on Sunday 15th March 19:46
Edited by GliderRider on Sunday 15th March 19:47
AnotherClarkey said:
As someone who has worked the vast majority of his career in the medical device industry I have to ask: WTAF are they thinking?
That was my first thought. It clearly shows the government's lack of understanding of engineering design, development, testing, supply chains and manufacturing of complex equipment. If the whole country is locked down, where are we getting the raw materials, mould tools, sub-assemblies etc? Unless an off the shelf unit is copied to the last nut and bolt, the desgn and development process could take years.How long did it take to get Castle Bromwich up and running to build Spitfires? They weren't even building the engine or electrics, just the basic airframe.
AnotherClarkey said:
As someone who has worked the vast majority of his career in the medical device industry I have to ask: WTAF are they thinking?
It's sounds like the manufacturers across the world have told them 'you're too late!'.
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavir...
shopper150 said:
AnotherClarkey said:
As someone who has worked the vast majority of his career in the medical device industry I have to ask: WTAF are they thinking?
It's sounds like the manufacturers across the world have told them 'you're too late!'.
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavir...
Maybe one good thing will be accelerating the break up of the EU.
GliderRider said:
AnotherClarkey said:
As someone who has worked the vast majority of his career in the medical device industry I have to ask: WTAF are they thinking?
That was my first thought. It clearly shows the government's lack of understanding of engineering design, development, testing, supply chains and manufacturing of complex equipment. If the whole country is locked down, where are we getting the raw materials, mould tools, sub-assemblies etc? Unless an off the shelf unit is copied to the last nut and bolt, the desgn and development process could take years.How long did it take to get Castle Bromwich up and running to build Spitfires? They weren't even building the engine or electrics, just the basic airframe.
NoNeed said:
Funny username said:
NoNeed said:
I do believe that JCB and rolls Royce have put their engineers to the task already
Trust me, they haven’t.It’s a nice statement to make, and the thought counts, but it isn’t going to happen.
I'd like to have been a fly on the wall for that meeting with the engineering team.When i first heard this, this morning i was all for it. I was even thinking. F1 teams doing nothing with all that equipment and talent sat around...... but then, it hit me. Only one company in the UK makes the ventilator we need, (source - https://twitter.com/faisalislam/status/12387503573... so will these new manufacturers design their own? Cant imagine thats a quick process, will the current manufacturers of the ventilator hand over the technical drawings even with a large "donation"? What about ensuring that the new maufacturers of the ventilators have manufactured them to the required standards? Who tests & quality checks these new ventilators to make sure theyre "good enough".
No doubt we have the knowledge, skills, manufacturing facilities but to me personally it doesnt seem realistic. That being said, with most of the EU & ourselves wanting ventilators maybe we just HAVE to make it work.
No doubt we have the knowledge, skills, manufacturing facilities but to me personally it doesnt seem realistic. That being said, with most of the EU & ourselves wanting ventilators maybe we just HAVE to make it work.
Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 15th March 20:49
I'd have thought, if this is actually to be a 'thing', the govt. just bung the existing manufacturer (who I assume is working flat out?) a few million quid in royalties, they get some copy tools made up, and other businesses get cracking making more of them?
Imagine the negative PR for the existing patent holder if they turn that down?
(And if they do turn it down, we should do it anyway and deal with it later. Grannies trump patent law. Grannies are ace.)
Imagine the negative PR for the existing patent holder if they turn that down?
(And if they do turn it down, we should do it anyway and deal with it later. Grannies trump patent law. Grannies are ace.)
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