Even before the global demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the challenges of a worldwide aging population and associated lung disease had led to an increased need for critical-care ventilators. However, the Covid-19 crisis has heightened this need to extraordinary levels, putting intense pressure on the production capabilities of medical device manufacturers.
The purpose of a ventilator is to provide oxygen into the lungs of a person who is either unable to sustain breathing on their own or is breathing insufficiently. Intensive care unit ventilators also need to monitor the patient’s lung efficiency, using flow, temperature, humidity, and pressure sensors. For critically ill patients, access to a ventilator can be a matter of life and death, and hospitals around the world now have an unprecedented need for hundreds of thousands more around the world.
The drastic increase in demand has seen medical device manufacturers racing to produce more ventilators as quickly as possible. Even some engineering companies from different specialty areas – such as major automotive and aerospace manufacturers – have switched production lines to help fulfill the global demand for ventilators.
Given the need to minimize ventilator time-to-market, both existing and new manufacturers are heavily dependent on their component suppliers. Now more than ever, they need trusted suppliers with extensive knowledge of the medical market, its global regulations, technical expertise, and widely proven product solutions. These can help to fast-track the design and certification processes and support a rapid ramp-up of production to help meet demanding delivery schedules and ultimately save lives.
Emerson expertise
Emerson has extensive technical expertise and experience in providing rapid and reliable product development solutions for intensive care, emergency and anesthesia ventilators, and is prioritizing projects from the world’s leading medical device companies.
To operate efficiently, a ventilator requires very precise and reliable control of gases. Flow control solutions, such as high flow proportional valves, must be able to quickly change the flow ratio to precisely deliver the right gas mixture according to individual patient needs. As these devices are in use all day and all night, its components must maintain flawless operation and provide a long service time without failure. For ventilators used in a home care environment, components must be very compact, provide quiet operation, and have very low power consumption.
Products and Customized Solutions
Emerson’s extensive portfolio of reliable and proven flow control solutions enables manufacturers to source either standard proportional and general service valves or a complete customized control solution from a single supplier, shortening their development timeline and reducing costs. The range includes:
● Proportional valves – ASCO™ Series 202 Posiflow valves, and ASCO Series 202 Preciflow valves are used for controlling the flow of gases, while the ASCO Series 202 Preciflow Inlet Pressure Compensated (IPC) valves are specially designed for use in a ventilator gas mixer module.
● Miniature solenoid valves – ASCO Series 188, Series RB and Series 090 miniature solenoid valves are designed for use with air and gases (like oxygen). Their compact, lightweight form and low power consumption make them ideal for use in ventilators, and they have an exceptional service lifetime, significantly increasing instrument reliability and efficiency.
● Regulators – The TESCOM WEGAMED cylinder regulator provides fluid control and pressure reduction for pressurized medical gases. Their compact design, high flow rates and integrated pressure relief valve make them ideal for stationary gas supply in anesthesia and respiration equipment.
● Customized solutions – Emerson partners with its customers to create customized solutions that fit their specific requirements, including ASCO valves on a custom manifold, and including features such as tubing, filters and special electrical connectors, as required. Creating plug-and-play control solutions reduces the number of suppliers required and makes the manufacturing process less complex.
Emerson not only provides an extensive range of proven and reliable products but also offers a unique Rapid Engineered Solutions program enabling samples – from standard valves to customized solutions – to be delivered in a matter of days. Additionally, Emerson provides design assistance from a global team of engineering personnel with industry expertise in designing complex solutions for ventilators. This enables manufacturers to partner with a trusted supplier that can be relied upon to meet their product specifications and advise them in regard to the stringent regulatory demands of the critical care ventilator sector.
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