Formula 1 2020 (Will Contain Race Day Spoilers)

[Stratman]

F1 teams to boost production of ventilators

Formula 1 teams are working with government and health authorities to increase the supply of ventilators during the coronavirus crisis.

Ventilators are a device used to help supply more air to patients with breathing difficulties, one of the effects of severe coronavirus symptoms.

The majority of F1 teams are aiming to work out ways to use their engineering facilities to boost production.

F1 said the aim was to "provide as much help and assistance as we can".

A spokesman said: "The F1 community is engaged in discussions with all the relevant stakeholders regarding this issue and we will provide further details in due course."

A number of teams have applied-technologies divisions that could directly feed into the national production capacity of ventilators in the UK and Italy, particularly McLaren, Red Bull, Williams, Mercedes and Ferrari.

But all teams have advanced manufacturing capability that could potentially be used to make complex devices such as this, and as many will help as can.

 

[Bellow]

F1 teams to boost production of ventilators

Formula 1 teams are working with government and health authorities to increase the supply of ventilators during the coronavirus crisis.

Ventilators are a device used to help supply more air to patients with breathing difficulties, one of the effects of severe coronavirus symptoms.

The majority of F1 teams are aiming to work out ways to use their engineering facilities to boost production.

F1 said the aim was to "provide as much help and assistance as we can".

A spokesman said: "The F1 community is engaged in discussions with all the relevant stakeholders regarding this issue and we will provide further details in due course."

A number of teams have applied-technologies divisions that could directly feed into the national production capacity of ventilators in the UK and Italy, particularly McLaren, Red Bull, Williams, Mercedes and Ferrari.

But all teams have advanced manufacturing capability that could potentially be used to make complex devices such as this, and as many will help as can.

That, is a lot more convincing than making a ventilator from a JCB back hoe.

 

[Steveml63]

That, is a lot more convincing than making a ventilator from a JCB back hoe.

Have you ever visited the JCB factory, engineering centre or test facility?
I have visited all these facilities extensively - when I used to work in the automotive industry (from 1991 until 2009).
I must tell you that JCB have an amazing team that are more than capable of designing (or reverse engineering) ventilators and then producing them.

 

[Bellow]

Have you ever visited the JCB factory, engineering centre or test facility?
I have visited all these facilities extensively - when I used to work in the automotive industry (from 1991 until 2009).
I must tell you that JCB have an amazing team that are more than capable of designing (or reverse engineering) ventilators and then producing them.

Well, if they can, here's hoping they are.

 

[st13phil]

From BBC News:

"British technology firm Smiths Group says it is making the details of one of its ventilators available for other manufacturers to produce, in an attempt to tackle the shortage of equipment.

The group's Smiths Medical unit is also ramping up its own ventilator production, as well as providing intellectual property and advice to other companies to make its PARAPAC Plus lightweight ventilators.

A spokesperson said: "We are doing everything possible to substantially increase production of our ventilators at our Luton site and worldwide."

Ford, Honda, car parts firm Unipart, digger maker JCB, and aero-engine maker Rolls Royce are among companies looking into the feasibility of switching some production.
Japanese carmaker Nissan is also looking at manufacturing ventilators, as it confirmed it is halting UK vehicle production for the foreseeable future."

 

[Dryce]

That, is a lot more convincing than making a ventilator from a JCB back hoe.

And are you aware of how complicated and intricate some large plant and machinery actually is?

You'd be surprised how transferable some skills and capabilities are.

Some years ago I worked in a company that made industrial machinery - one of my colleagues had worked on pacemakers.

You will find that some skills are very specialist - and with many products there will be design subtleties and refinements that are learned over years. But you don't need all of them to expedite an expedient solution.

It's also surprising what you can accelerate. A design process that might take 12 weeks in good times might be 3 weeks in urgent times.

 

[Dryce]

Well, if they can, here's hoping they are.

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[Bellow]

Here's the spec >> Rapidly manufactured ventilator system specification

 

[Bellow]

I might have tripped into insanity but the second mode - for when the patient is breathing under own control - sounds remarkably similar to kit I have hear. It converts to gas from liquid, regulates to any and very low pressure, senses 'demand' and delivery can be further adjusted by simple electronic control. The possibility to over-ride 'demand sensing' should be within the capability of the delivery volume control - the mode 1 requirement.
It's an LPG system.

 

[st13phil]

Here's the spec

That Smiths Group is already releasing their IP for others to manufacture one of their products is extremely helpful as it will give insight into how designers with experience and knowledge in this field have addressed the demands for the product, and should also give a head start in locating sources of appropriate standard components that will be needed that would otherwise tie up an inordinate amount of design and supply chain time.

Hopefully, Smiths Group and others with intimate knowledge of the products and standards will also allow their design teams to provide advice and guidance to the other companies looking to design something to meet the "low rent" solution spec. Familiarising yourself with the implications of particular standards can take an awful lot of effort that can be considerably reduced if "someone who knows" provides guidance.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Here's the spec >> Rapidly manufactured ventilator system specification

Approval for medical devices is rather in-depth.
We manufacture prototypes (PCB's) for a medical company but only for lab. evaluation/test use.
The field (customer) products are made by another company as we don't have the medical approvals in place.
In any case when they go to manufacture it's in the 100k's, we are good at 100's to 1,000's but 100k is too big for us.

Then there is the CE/EMC testing etc. so anything that is not approved already would take a while to test/approve.
Simplest way as indicated would be for the manufacturer to release the design data (PCB files, Bill of Materials) and have other companies make a like for like product.

In our case we could be assembling PCB's for these products in a very short time (few days) subject to parts availability.

Saying that though we have a build of 504 medical PCB's due for week after next and some of the critical components have now been pushed out to May (factory closures in Asia) so that has been delayed.

 

[Bellow]

It strikes me that there isn't time for approvals. This is different from drug trials - it is a mechanical bit of kit that is predictable in its behaviour.
If this is the emergency that it is claimed to be (and I don't doubt it is) then we need to be bolder. If the option is between trying the unapproved and dying waiting for an approved version - I'll take my chance on the former. Me and thousands more I'll wager.

I get your point(s) Patrick, but in these times......

 

[st13phil]

If the option is between trying the unapproved and dying waiting for an approved version - I'll take my chance on the former.

I think that's where we'll likely end up, but certain things like basic EMC and electrical safety testing is still important and should still be undertaken. Uncontrolled electromagnetic radiation in a medical environment could create far-reaching chaos; the more arcane requirements of the various Machinery and Equipment Directives that form the basis of CE certification are the things to consider ignoring.

 

[Bellow]

I think that's where we'll likely end up, but certain things like basic EMC and electrical safety testing is still important and should still be undertaken. Uncontrolled electromagnetic radiation in a medical environment could create far-reaching chaos; the more arcane requirements of the various Machinery and Equipment Directives that form the basis of CE certification are the things to consider ignoring.

Is there even a remote possibility that a functioning and safe ventilator can be designed from existing components (whatever they were originally designed for) and specified as a kit of parts that the likes of us can either source or be supplied with such that we can assemble them at home or in an underused work place?

Think of all the technically competent people who are underemployed right now who could engage with this. I'll volunteer in a nano-second and others will too. Components and a box to install them in - final testing by those closer to end use. Some of this stuff at least cannot be unique to medical use. Eg, a pressure regulator is a pressure regulator....

 

[st13phil]

Looks like the notion of a simplified, and lower performance, ventilator that can still deliver effective treatment has been realised: The innovations inspired by a pandemic

 

[AMGeed]

Back to FI for a moment.
Now the Azerbaijan GP on 7th June has been postponed.
The Canadian GP a week later is under threat as well.

I think its very optimistic for FI chairman Chase Carey to think they can still complete between 15-18 races out of 22 with the season being pushed back further and further. We shall see.

 

[st13phil]

I think its very optimistic for FI chairman Chase Carey to think they can still complete between 15-18 races out of 22 with the season being pushed back further and further. We shall see.

Unless there’s a sudden realisation that huge swathes of the global population are naturally immune from COVID-19, or a vaccine is discovered and miraculously available in sufficient quantity to inoculate everybody then I think he's living in cloud cuckoo land.

That’s the trouble with big money “sports”: the thought of losing all that lolly causes total derangement amongst those who can see their pot of gold disappearing down the toilet.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

I've been wondering if they could use the sims. they have linked up to give us some races with the drivers?

That would be fun and at least something F1 related.

 

[whitenemesis]

I think the 2020 season will be abandoned totally

 

[Deleted member 113659]

I think the 2020 season will be abandoned totally

Me too.