Os prós e contras da Covid-19 para a fabricação de dispositivos médicos

The Pros and Cons of Covid-19 for Medical Device Manufacturing

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Technological progress is impartial. He knows no differences between good and evil. Therefore, even the worst events can have a positive impact on technical devices. A terrible threat has emerged across the world. A new pandemic emerged and spread across the world at enormous speed. As bad as it sounds, it also brought with it some positive developments. Covid-19 made countries forget their differences and unite around a common goal. Doctors help each other, governments send aid to other countries. But what Covid-19 has done for the world of technology is increase the speed of manufacturing medical devices and new inventions.

The need for medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Coronavirus is a very serious respiratory disease that causes coughing, high fever and body aches and whose symptoms increase every day. Right now, the most important thing medical devices do is prevent symptoms and strengthen the patient's immune system. For this reason, ventilation systems, humidifiers and respiratory masks are the most important medical devices. Many countries face shortages of these devices due to the influx of sick people. For this reason, new rapid methods of developing and manufacturing medical devices are currently being developed using 3D printing, medical injection molding, and machining.

Low-Cost Ventilator Prototypes Using Rapid Injection Molding

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Rapid tooling is one of the pioneering processes in the rapid prototyping and manufacturing business. It allows us to start production in just a few weeks instead of months, as is the case with traditional injection molding. Rapid Injection Molding is perfect for cases where a production line is urgently needed. Example: a pandemic. Patients need lung ventilation systems and not all countries have the capabilities of Chinese manufacturing.

Therefore, an affordable and portable ventilation system can be made even at home for people who require artificial lung ventilation. Requires a plastic case (acrylic or similar), a standard airsickness bag, a motor with the controller, and a special plastic cam piece. The motor activates the cam mechanism that suspends the medical bag and pushes air into the patient's lungs. The whole thing is powered by batteries. It is possible to make this fan at home from simple parts.

However, setting up a batch production system for the ventilator brings many more benefits, and most importantly, more people can benefit from it. And if you want to make a batch, using the rapid injection molding process is ideal for many fan parts. Firstly, the case can be modified and made a little more complex to better accommodate all the elements. Then the cam can also be made by injection molding, and finally you can add a special silicone respiratory mask that fits the patient better.

Company manufacturing respiratory protection equipment

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One of the areas that really got a big boost while every other industry lost money due to quarantines and lack of buyers was respiratory mask manufacturers. Most people buy paper masks, but these only last a few hours and are not really effective. They prevent the user from being contagious, rather than protecting them from the viruses around them. Filter respirators are completely different. They protect the user and the filters can be replaced.

Business is all about opportunities. You have to act quickly and set up production in time before others see the same opportunity. A respirator requires two things: filters and a silicone mask. Filters can be easily purchased from any mass market website. Masks must be manufactured by injection molding. Typically, it takes at least one to two months for an injection mold to be designed, inspected, and manufactured from hardened steel so that it can be used in mass production.

However, a quick injection mold is made from lighter alloys using the best CNC machining machines for maximum efficiency. The cavity is usually separated from the bottom of the mold. This allows the manufacturer to process the mold twice as fast (since both processes occur simultaneously). The mask doesn't really need to be tested for a long time for certification because the filters you buy are already certified.

Humidifier Manufacturing Using Rapid Injection Molding

Among other things, doctors tell us that it is very important to drink plenty of fluids. Drinking plenty of water and keeping the air moist is a good way to relieve a wheezing cough. This is why humidifiers are in great demand. One way to make additional humidifiers is to use rapid injection molding. A basic humidifier is quite simple. It consists of a water tank and a box into which water flows from the tank and is sprayed with an ultrasonic membrane. However, you will need to purchase the ultrasonic membrane, which is easy to obtain, as are the filters.

The disadvantages of coronavirus for the development of medical devices

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In addition to actually interfering with the jobs of manufacturing companies and design institutes that develop prototypes for medical devices, the coronavirus has several other disadvantages that will impact the medical industry for some time. All resources have now been diverted to this virus and other diseases that are actually less well known are receiving less attention. All medical institutions are developing devices and medicines for respiratory diseases, namely COVID-19 and related diseases, and all other projects have been stopped.

Many factories that previously produced essential medical supplies have switched to producing devices that protect against the coronavirus. It will take some time for factories to return to normal work. As a result, not only will we have a pandemic, but other people will receive less attention, less medical equipment, less medical care, and some infectious diseases will increase due to lack of medical care.

All medical institutions are developing devices and medicines for respiratory diseases, especially COVID-19 and related diseases, and all other projects have been stopped. Many factories that previously worked to produce essential medical supplies have switched to producing equipment that protects against the coronavirus. It will take some time for factories to return to normal work. As a result, not only will we have a pandemic, but other people will receive less attention, less medical equipment, less medical care, and some infectious diseases will increase due to lack of medical care.

Would you like to know or find out more?

We have sufficient resources (materials, equipment and processes) to help you produce medical device prototypes. Visit our gallery there. If you are ready to start a new project, we will be happy to advise you further (contact us: (email protected) ) and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

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