May 2020

News 0 6 | Plant & Works Engineering www.pwemag.co.uk May 2020 Forklift manufacturer develops ventilator splitter device to help with COVID-19 response efforts The Irish manufacturer Combilift, best known for its range of space-saving forklifts and other handling solutions, has drawn on its expertise in engineering and software design to develop the Combi-Ventilate, a splitter device which turns one ventilator into multiple ventilation stations. Designed to address the requirements of medical professionals in the current Covid-19 emergency, the Combi-Ventilate was developed by a team of mechatronic and software engineers in the past five weeks and a unit is currently undergoing laboratory tests with Ger Curley, Professor of Anaesthesia & Critical Care at Royal College of Surgeon’s in Beaumont Hospital. Martin McVicar, CEO and co-founder Combilift said: “Certain countries and cities are struggling to get enough ventilators and many governments and health authorities are encouraging manufacturers to come up with a solution, as did the HSE in Ireland. Instead of actually developing ventilators we analysed what is really required, as we do in our usual business models.” The Combi-Ventilate uses standard pipes and fittings for easy assembly and its individual patient filters prevent cross contamination. Each patient has a dedicated screen which allows medical professionals to individually monitor their vital information. This includes live values, data on patient history and statistics and adjustable alarm settings. Features include non- return valves, HEPA filters, flow sensors and an automatic flow control valve. Any abnormalities that occur are detected and will only trigger that specific patient’s alarm. The Combi- Ventilate has automatically adjustable flow control valves which allow the health service professional control the tidal volume to each patient electronically without having to make manual adjustments. “When we are developing equipment, we listen closely to our customers in order to perfect and improve the product. This approach in our collaboration with the HSE is what has got us where we are today. This is very much designed as an attachment which can be added to any brand of ventilator. It costs a fraction of a standard ventilator and can be installed very easily into an ICU unit environment. We have made Combi-Ventilate with the same objective as we do with all our products - which is all about doing more with less,” said McVicar. “We have undertaken this non-profit endeavour in order to meet the demands of the global crisis for health services around the world, namely the lack or shortage of ventilators. The medical device sector is not our core business but making equipment which keeps people safe has always been our focus and this latest project, driven by our desire to help during these difficult times, mirrors what our research and development has done for the last 20 years.” Dr Michael Power, National Clinical Lead, Critical Care Programme Irish health service added: “The Combi-Ventilate is a valuable attachment for ventilators for use in an ICU setting in that unwanted scenario where you only have one ventilator for multiple patients. It removes that horrible dilemma. It is an engineered solution which delivers the correct volume of air to each patient safely and reliably. The Combi-Ventilate project is an example of a collaboration between the engineering and the manufacturing industry and the Health Service Executive (HSE). It is an agile project, completed in 5 weeks.” Pictured at the launch of the Combilift-Ventilate are Heather Humphreys TD, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Robert Moffett co-founder & technical director, Combilift, Martin McVicar, co-founder & CEO, Combilift, Antonio Patacho, Combilift. To view a video of the device please visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hxk2Al01bs&feature=youtu.be We are pleased to announce that Andy Pye has joined Plant & Works Engineering in the role of consultant editor. He will also be working on two other magazines published by DFA Media: Smart Machines & Factories and Drives & Controls. Andy will be known to many in the engineering and automation industry in the UK, and has edited many leading design and manufacturing titles over the past four decades. His most recent assignment was the launch of Controls, Drives and Automation, where he worked for the past eight years. Prior to that, Andy was a founder and shareholder in the start-up e-publishing business Pro-Talk, which launched in 1999 and was bought by Centaur Publishing in 2006. Andy is a graduate material engineer and spent five years in engineering consultancy prior to joining the technical publishing industry in 1980 as deputy editor of Design Engineering. Andy Pye commented on his new role: preparing for a post-pandemic future: “It is a pleasure to be joining DFA Media at a challenging time for us all,” says Andy. “I am really looking forward to working with PWE’s editor Aaron Blutstein and all of his colleagues. We are discussing some exciting projects for the future to take the business forward, in preparation for a post-pandemic future. I wish the families of all of my friends and colleagues in publishing and in the wider manufacturing community safe passage at this difficult time.” Andy Pye joins PWE as consultant editor Andy Pye, consultant editor, PWE