Mercedes says it has converted its entire F1 engine facility to produce breathing aids for Covid-19 sufferers.
The Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains factory at Brixworth is producing the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure devices which the team developed in co-operation with University College London.They have also made the design of the UCL-Ventura devices freely available for other potential manufacturers to make use of. “The licensed package will include not only the designs, but will also specify materials, tools and kit used in the rapid prototyping process, as well as the fabrication time for each part,” said Mercedes in a statement.
The “mark two” UCL-Ventura breathing aid “has reduced oxygen consumption by up to 70% compared to the mark one model”, say Mercedes, and was approved for use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency last week. Up to 1,000 are now being manufactured each day.
CPAP devices are used to administer oxygen to patients who are suffering with lung infections. British prime minister Boris Johnson, who has been diagnosed with Covid-19 and admitted to intensive care yesterday, is believed to be receiving breathing support from a CPAP device.
Mercedes is one of seven Formula 1 teams participating in ‘Project Pitlane’, an initiative to turn their resources over to the creation of medical technologies in response to the pandemic.
Don't miss anything new from RaceFans
Follow RaceFans on social media:
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
2020 F1 season
- Pictures: Wrecked chassis from Grosjean’s Bahrain fireball crash to go on display
- Bottas vs Rosberg: Hamilton’s Mercedes team mates compared after 78 races each
- F1 revenues fell by $877 million in Covid-struck 2020 season
- Hamilton and Mercedes finally announce new deal for 2021 season
- F1 audience figures “strong” in 2020 despite dip in television viewers
Witan
7th April 2020, 12:17
Brixworth has always been a highly innovative and dynamic place since the Ilmor days. Good to see that continues and Mercedes are doing their bit. They and Dyson deserve praise for the initiatives as do the other teams like joining in the the F1 programme.
anon
7th April 2020, 13:05
I am not sure you should be praising Dyson, as there are complaints from existing medical producers that they have actually approached the UK government, only to be ignored.
In fact, that same medical company has now said that it has been approached by Dyson and asked to provide parts to them. It seems what Dyson is doing is not very efficient and may in fact be taking resources away from companies that already produce ventilators – leading to accusations that their contract is a backhander from the government to a major donor and prominent Brexiteer who paid for Boris’s campaigns.
ColdFly (@)
7th April 2020, 13:16
At least it’s welcome news to Signapore (HQ) and Malaysia (factory) which are also hit by the pandemic :P
Dave
7th April 2020, 14:43
Anon, normally I find your analyses cogent, expert, and illuminating, not to mention quietly devastating. The one time I was in the receiving end of one of your corrections, you were quite right and I was being a damned fool.
The most erudite of experts, however, can be as foolish as the rest of us outside his own field. I’m afraid the backhander you suggest is credibly alleged is a literal conspiracy theory.
Dyson doesn’t appear, from a quick Google search, to be a political donor at all. But I can’t open this page for some reason, which would nail it down:
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/financial-reporting/donations-and-loans/view-donations-and-loans
anon
7th April 2020, 18:28
I did note that it was an alleged claim, leaving it up to others to judge the merit of the claims.
That said, the James Dyson Foundation is listed in the register of members interests as having made donations to members of the Conservative Party. He is also listed as the author of public policy reports produced on behalf of the Conservative Party, which has been argued as a “donation in kind” (i.e. by bearing the cost of producing policy documents on behalf of the Conservative Party and thus providing a benefit in kind by taking those costs away from the Conservative Party).
Dave
7th April 2020, 22:19
Well, yes, Dyson is clearly trying to get a peerage. But that’s the reward for political donors. Chucking money to their friends is a bit too obvious.
In the UK we’re far too sophisticated for such obvious corruption. But if you look a the register of Members’ interests, it’s amazing how many MPs have bought shares long before government was ever interested in giving out a contract…
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
7th April 2020, 16:04
Apparently Boris is not in intensive care as it was presumed. Headline news either way.
Islander
7th April 2020, 16:29
These teams will long be remembered, esp Mercedes, for doing their bit in the 2020 pandemic.
Boris, when he’s back on his feet, will no doubt want to invest in a Merc cap for use around Downing Street.
Mouse_Nightshirt (@mouse_nightshirt)
7th April 2020, 23:54
The reduction of oxygen use by these new CPAP devices is key. We’re having major issues currently, not with the lack of oxygen, but the actual diameter of the pipes from our oxygen stores to the actual wards – we’re hitting limits due to the nature of the devices we currently use as there isn’t enough flow (O2 is used to “drive” much of the machinery which adds a massive overhead).
These sorts of savings are absolutely key.