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Ford to Make Medical Ventilators with F-150 Parts

At the end of last week, American president Donald Trump issued a challenge to auto companies, asking them to join the fight against the coronavirus. The industry, although fast to agree, was slow to react.
Ford already working on making face shields 1 photo
Photo: Ford
Despite the fact two of the carmakers nominated by Trump, GM and Tesla, said they would be making things like ventilators for those with trouble breathing, no details were given in the days that have passed since. The third, Ford, said nothing since the president issued the challenge.

That changed on Tuesday, March 24, when the Blue Oval announced it entered agreements with not one, but two other companies for the production of respirators and ventilators for medical use.

The first partnership is with 3M, and would result in the creation of a new Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR), which would be assembled in an undisclosed Ford facility with the help of UAW workers.

The second is a tie-up with GE Healthcare that would result in a new ventilator needed by patients in respiratory failure, one that would be made including with parts generally used for pickup trucks of the F-150 family, like the fans from the truck’s cooled seats.

Additionally, Ford committed to assembling 100,000 plastic face shield per week for use by the medical professionals, factory workers and store clerks, and said 3D printing would be used to churn out components for use in personal protective equipment.

“This is such a critical time for America and the world. It is a time for action and cooperation. By coming together across multiple industries, we can make a real difference for people in need and for those on the front lines of this crisis,” said in a statement Bill Ford, Ford’s executive chairman.

“At Ford, we feel a deep obligation to step up and contribute in times of need, just as we always have through the 117-year history of our company.”

At the time of this writing, there are close to 400,000 reported infections across the world and over 17,000 people have died. In the U.S., the numbers are 46,000 infections and nearly 600 deaths.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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