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Southampton Uni
researchers collaborate
with industry on respirator
for medical staff
almost identical to the
This just shows the
3M Racal Respirator I
have been using for
many years for
woodturning. There are
multiple versions of
these positive pressure,
hepa filtered air hoods
in use in industry and
hobby workshops. Many
come with an impact
resistant helmet and face plate which are heavy and not
necessary for hospital use.
engineering capability of our
universities, well done on the
development. Fingers crossed all the
testing goes well. Hopefully the NHS
and all front-line workers can use
this soon.
Neil Davidson
The concept is
The secret is in making it reusable, or cheap enough to
be disposable. For Covid19 this means being able to sterilise
easily with current procedures and equipment without
causing serious degradation during the sterilisation process
or causing overloading of the sterilisation department.
Col
We really are a nation of innovators. If we could learn
how to market and produce efficiently we could, once again,
become an industrial world leader. Why does it take a major
crisis to bring out the best in us. Well done to all of those
taking part.
Ivan Taylor
This is so simple that it beggars the question why has it
not been proposed and manufactured already, but then the
obvious is not always obvious.
I use a battery filter helmet for my woodworking hobby, the
face is under gentle positive pressure and the visor does
not mist-up, comfortable enough to wear for hours. My
paramedic son has asked if my helmet could be used but the
filters are suitable for fine dust only.
This proposed helmet should work provided the filter
is pathogen proof and can be disposed of without
contamination. The prototype design looks cheap enough to
dispose of every part but keep the motor and fan.
I look forward to hearing it is in immediate production.
Edward Lewis
The rights and wrongs
of “Furloughing”, a word
which many of us have only
recently used for the first
time, was a topic of much
debate amongst readers.
For me work and enquiries
have virtually dried up, so the
government support is welcome –
though they’ve dropped a broad
hint that it will have to be paid for
by higher taxes in future, so
perhaps it should really be
considered a loan … ?
19 May 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk
More generally: furlough -
basically gardening leave (I had to
look it up) - seems a reasonable
response. The employee gets 80%
of full pay, which most should be
able to get by on and the employer
could pay the balance for especially
valued workers. It’s all about
retention. Losing good people
and recruiting and bringing up to
speed new workers is an expensive
business
Trevor
The issue with this scheme is
that employers have to pay the staff
first and hope that the government
refunds them the money via a
grant. If a business is already really
struggling with cash flow and can’t
access the funds needed, then they
may not even be able to afford to
furlough someone.
Josh
The situation is unprecedented
and the Gov’t have taken
unprecedented action. Too easy to
blame them, let’s just wait to see
what the effects are. If it works and
the economy more or less keeps
going, there will be a lot of column
inches to read in the broadsheet
press! I note that Labour Party
leaders are trying to claim that
Socialism has come to the rescue.
Maybe it is merely pragmatism.
Dave Childs
The follies of bare
minimum stock levels and
just in time suppliers from
overseas are being exposed!
We need to have the capability
to produce and supply all
these things from our own
resources where possible. The
drive to export this base
manufacturing level in order
to minimise staff costs is a
disaster! Contingency
reserves are also a must! We
need to return to being a
manufacturing economy not
one based on financial
speculators.
Nick Cole
and fully ?
I hope I’m wrong because we
have a big opportunity to change
for the better.
Another Steve
It is obvious, from this
situation we find ourselves in,
putting manufacturing and
Engineering design off-shore has
left this country vulnerable. It is
the same with our utilities, we are
dependent of off-shore owned
companies. This is not something
the UK needs for its future.
Alan
Covid 19 will prove a catalyst.
It will accelerate changes already
happening on a number of fronts:
bringing manufacturing back to
the UK, increasing online
business and shopping, home
working, video conferencing and
much more. The catalyst itself is
horrible, the long-term result
probably not so.
Bill Church
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