Mercedes make design of life-saving device freely available

Mercedes has made the designs for its life-saving breathing aids freely available to help the global response against the coronavirus.

Last week it was announced the team's High Performance Powertrains [HPP] department, in conjunction with mechanical engineers at University College London [UCL] and clinicians at University College London Hospitals [UCLH], had developed a device to help keep Covid-19 patients out of intensive care.

Known as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), it was produced in under 100 hours following an initial meeting.

The Mercedes UCL-Ventura system has since undergone patient evaluations at UCLH and across sister hospitals in the London area.

After a UK Government order for up to 10,000, the devices are being produced at a rate of up to 1,000 a day at the Mercedes factory in Brixworth, which has been repurposed to meet demand, with 40 machines that would normally produce F1 pistons and turbochargers being used for the production of the CPAP devices.

Crucially, Mercedes has decided to make the information on how to develop the product widely available, so hopefully enabling healthcare systems around the world to provide respiratory support for patients with Covid-19.

Governments, relevant industry manufacturers, academics and health experts are able to request access to the designs to ensure quality control over the manufacture.

Andy Cowell, managing director of Mercedes-AMG HPP, said: “Since the project was announced, we have received an incredible number of enquiries about the CPAP device from around the world.

"Making the design and manufacturing specifications openly available will allow companies around the world to produce these devices at speed and at scale to support the global response to Covid-19.”

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