COV ID - 19 S PECI A L R E PORT
On a completely different tack, aerospace
organisations – particularly those with
3D-printing expertise – may be able to help
the medical response by getting involved in
the production and supply of vital equipment
such as ventilator parts and face masks.
The European association for additive
manufacturing (AM), CECIMO, called for AM
companies that could assist in the production
of equipment such as valves and ventilators
for European hospitals to fill out this form:
www.cecimo.eu/news/cecimo-press-releasecall
to-action-to-additive-manufacturingcompanies
to-help-hospitals-in-need/.
CECIMO said the response from members
had been very positive. To enable companies
to make these items more easily and safely,
the European Committee for Standardization
(CEN) and the European Committee for
Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC),
are giving access to various European
standards for personal protective equipment
and medical devices.
In the UK, manufacturers that can support
the supply of ventilators and ventilator parts –
through their design, procurement, assembly,
testing or shipping – are urged to fill out this
form: https://ventilator.herokuapp.com.
In the USA, proposals for the development
of medical countermeasures including devices,
can be submitted to government agency
BARDA here: www.medicalcountermeasures.
gov/barda/barda-baa/.
businessjetinteriorsinternational.com
016 APRIL 2020
Meanwhile, AM specialist Stratasys is
mobilising its resources and encouraging
others to help, initially focussing on producing
5,000 disposable face shields (pictured) by
27 March 2020 for use by medical personnel
in the USA. Stratasys’ other plans include
supporting an initiative led by anesthesiology
residents of Massachusetts
General Hospital asking
engineers and designers
to help develop a new
rapidly deployable
ventilator and other
solutions. Companies
can offer 3D-printing
capacity here: www.
stratasys.com/covid-19.
“The strengths of 3D-printing
– be anywhere, print virtually
anything, adapt on the fly –
make it a capability for helping
address shortages of parts
related to shields, masks and
ventilators, among other things,”
said Yoav Zeif, CEO at Stratasys.
“Our workforce and partners
are prepared to work around
the clock to meet the need for
3D-printers, materials, including
biocompatible materials, and
3D-printed parts.”
Ultimaker, which makes
3D-printing machines, also
made its global network of 3D-printing hubs,
experts and designers available to hospitals.
Its initiatives included a virtual tool that
enables hospitals to share approved 3D-print
designs and material specifications with local
3D-printing experts. The company is also
making a team of designers and application
engineers available to support in designing
and creating parts, to then be printed by the
nearest 3D-print hub.
UV DISINFECTION
UV-C SOLUTION
A possible alternative to disinfectant
chemicals or antimicrobial surfaces
is to use ultraviolet (UV) light.
GermFalcon makes use of 254nm
UV-C to eliminate germs on aircraft
and says this is “proven effective
against coronavirus, ebola, influenza
and all other known disease-causing
pathogens”. The unit is wheeled along
the aisle of the aircraft, making it
possible to treat 54 seats in a minute,
or an entire narrow-body jet in less
than 10 minutes.
SELF-CLEANING LAVATORY
Back in 2016, Boeing
proposed the use of far
ultraviolet (FUV) light to
disinfect surfaces in a selfcleaning
lavatory, after every
use, in three seconds.
The company developed
a prototype of the concept
and filed for a patent.
The system would lift
and close the toilet seat by
itself so that all surfaces are
exposed during the cleaning
cycle. The design also
incorporated a hands-free
faucet, soap dispenser, trash
flap, toilet lid and seat, and
a hand dryer. A hands-free
door latch and a vacuum
vent system for the floor
were also under study.
The FUV light, which the
aircraft OEM emphasised is
not harmful to people, would
only be activated when the
lavatory is unoccupied.
3D-PRINTING
STRATASYS
Companies
with 3D-printing
expertise can
create life-saving
equipment
/ventilator.herokuapp.com
/www.medicalcountermeasures
/businessjetinteriorsinternational.com
/covid-19