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SEAT Joins the Coronavirus Fight, Makes Ventilators with Windscreen Wiper Motors

At the time of this writing, Spain is the third hardest-hit country by the coronavirus pandemic, after the United States and Italy. There are nearly 90,000 reported infections there and nearly 8,000 people have already died, and as elsewhere on the planet, there is no end in sight.
Windscreen wiper parts become the buolding blocks for SEAT ventilators 8 photos
Photo: SEAT
SEAT working on ventilators made with car partsSEAT working on ventilators made with car partsSEAT working on ventilators made with car partsSEAT working on ventilators made with car partsSEAT working on ventilators made with car partsSEAT working on ventilators made with car partsSEAT working on ventilators made with car parts
Just like most other countries battling the Covid-19 pandemic, Spain is struggling to find the resources it needs to fight the effects of the virus. Medical supplies and apparatus are scarce, and the government needs all the help it can get from private companies to get through this.

As the single domestic carmaker operating in the country, SEAT stepped up and announced this week it had developed together with another company called Protofy.XYZ the OxyGEN ventilator, a type of hardware that incorporates gearbox shafts and the adapted motor of a windscreen wiper.

SEAT says it took its engineers no time at all to develop the 13 prototypes that eventually led to the creation of OxyGEN. The device is currently undergoing testing as part of the official approval process.

“The motivation of everyone participating in this project is that with our know-how we can mass-produce equipment that will save lives,”
said in a statement Nicolás Mora from the Production area of SEAT Martorell.

The efforts to come up with the needed hardware for the fight against the scourge have accelerated in recent weeks, in an effort to keep pace with the virus’ spread. Earlier on Monday (March 30) Ford said it is gearing up the Rawsonville Components Plant in Michigan to start making ventilators as well.

Starting in the week after Easter, Ford will begin production, targeting 1,500 ventilators being built by the end of April, 12,000 units by the end of May and 50,000 units by July 4. Subsequently, the carmakers said it could support a production run of around 30,000 units per month.
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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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