In the UK, the Photonics Leadership Group has issued a call for businesses that can support in the supply of ventilators and components to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The group singled out firms with expertise in laser-based materials processing, cutting, welding, marking and additive manufacturing as being particularly relevant.
On Monday, UK prime minister Boris Johnson also spoke to over sixty leading UK manufacturers, including Airbus, Jaguar Land Rover and Rolls-Royce, to call on them to help the UK step up production of vital medical equipment for tackling Covid-19.
Blueprints of the equipment were also sent to the manufacturing firms.
The PM asked manufacturers to rise to this immediate challenge by offering skills and expertise as well as manufacturing the components themselves. Businesses can get involved in any part of the process: design, procurement, assembly, testing, and shipping.
A full list of the required equipment and skills, in addition to an application form to offer assistance, can be found at: https://ventilator.herokuapp.com/. Businesses can also call the BEIS Business Support Helpline on 0300 456 3565.
While the UK's National Health Service (NHS) has 5,900 ventilators, it could need as many as 20,000 should a worst-case scenario for the spread of Covid-19 happen.
The UK's Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) will also be working with Innovate UK and other organisations to try and connect firms able to support the UK's challenges regarding Covid-19, including the rapid scaling up of the manufacture of ventilators and other medical supplies.
Earlier this week it was reported that an Italian 3D-printing startup, Isinnova, used its equipment to help design and manufacture working ventilllator valves for a local hospital, which were swiftly deployed in the respiratory equipment of 10 admitted patients.
Italian 3D-printing startup Isinnova, used its equipment to manufacture working ventilllator valves when a local hospital realised they were running out. Credit: Cristian Fracassi.
The valve, which usually costs around $11,000, was 3D-printed for just $1.
However, according to Italian newspaper La Stampa, Isinnova may now be facing legal action from the manufacturer of the original part.
Isinnova reportedly contacted the manufacturer of the valves for their blueprints, however the company allegedly declined the request and threatened to sue for patent infringement. The startup chose to move ahead despite this, and instead measured the dimensions of the original valves and produced three different versions that it could then test.
‘There were people in danger of life, and we acted. Period,' Isinnova founder & CEO Cristian Fracassi told news outlet TPI. 'We have no intention of profiting from this situation. We are not going to use the designs or product beyond the strict need that forced us to act.'
Meanwhile, elsewhere across Europe, Blumorpho, together with EuroScan have sent out a call for solutions that can help citizens and health organisations in the fight against Covid-19. The call is to collect information on emerging technologies and innovations that could contribute to the treatment, testing, surveillance or other aspects of the coronavirus epidemic.
Blumorpho is an industrial innovation partner to various companies, including Bosch.
Information received from the call will be evaluated by the members of EuroScan, mainly staff from national authorities or universities, and published in its database. New technologies will be also published on the Blumorpho website.
The KTN, along with many other event organisers and companies, will be moving the majority of its events and meetings online.
Such measures are being taken following numerous key industry events having to be cancelled due to Covid-19, including LASYS, AKL and Laser World of Photonics China, in addition to other key photonics events.
SPIE, the optical society, will be also be running its Defence and Commercial Sensing, and Smart Structures and Non-destructive Evaluation conferences in a digital format. It will also hold SPIE Photonics Europe as a digital show from 6 to 10 April. Over those days, those registered will be able to watch and listen to recorded presentations on-demand and submit written questions. Authors will be asked to check in periodically and respond to questions. Registration fees for the original Photonics Europe technical programme and short courses will be refunded, SPIE said.
在英国， 光子学领导小组已发出呼吁 ，呼吁可以支持呼吸机和组件供应的企业帮助应对冠状病毒大流行。
该小组选择了在激光材料加工，切割，焊接，标记和增材制造方面具有专业知识的公司，这些公司尤其重要。
周一，英国首相鲍里斯·约翰逊（Boris Johnson）还与60多家领先的英国制造商进行了交谈，包括空中客车，捷豹路虎和劳斯莱斯，呼吁他们帮助英国加快生产重要医疗设备的能力，以应对Covid-19。
设备的蓝图也已发送给制造公司。
PM要求制造商通过提供技能和专业知识以及自己制造组件来应对这一紧迫挑战。企业可以参与流程的任何部分：设计，采购，组装，测试和运输。
除了提供帮助的申请表之外，还可以找到所需设备和技能的完整列表：https : //ventilator.herokuapp.com/。企业还可以拨打BEIS业务支持热线0300 456 3565。
尽管英国国家卫生局（NHS）拥有5900台呼吸机，但如果发生最坏情况下Covid-19扩散的情况，则可能需要多达20,000台呼吸机。
英国的 知识转移网络（KTN）也将与 Innovate UK和其他组织合作，以尝试与能够支持英国在Covid-19方面所面临挑战的公司建立联系，包括迅速扩大呼吸机和其他医疗用品的生产。
据报道，本周早些时候，一家意大利3D打印初创企业 Isinnova使用其设备帮助设计和制造 了当地医院的呼吸机工作阀，并迅速将其部署在10名住院患者的呼吸设备中。
意大利3D打印初创企业Isinnova在当地医院意识到快用完的呼吸机阀门时，使用其设备制造呼吸机阀门。信用：克里斯蒂安·弗拉卡西（Cristian Fracassi）。
该阀门通常售价约为11,000美元，仅需1美元即可进行3D打印。
但是，据意大利报纸《La Stampa》报道 ， Isinnova现在可能正面临原始零件制造商的法律诉讼。
据报道，Isinnova已与阀门制造商联系以获取其设计蓝图，但据称该公司拒绝了该请求，并威胁要提起专利侵权诉讼。尽管如此，这家初创公司还是选择了前进，而是测量了原始阀门的尺寸，并生产了三个可以测试的版本。
"有人处于生命危险中，我们采取了行动。"Isinnova创始人兼首席执行官Cristian Fracassi告诉新闻媒体TPI。"我们无意从这种情况中获利。我们不会使用超出迫使我们采取行动的严格需求的设计或产品。”
同时，在欧洲，在其他地方 Blumorpho， 连同 EuroScan 发出了对解决方案的呼叫，可以帮助公民和医疗机构在打击Covid-19的战斗。呼吁是收集有关可能有助于冠状病毒流行的治疗，测试，监视或其他方面的新兴技术和创新的信息。
Blumorpho是包括博世在内的多家公司的工业创新合作伙伴。
通话中收到的信息将由EuroScan成员（主要是国家主管部门或大学的人员）进行评估，并发布在其数据库中。新技术也将在Blumorpho网站上发布。
KTN将与许多其他活动的组织者和公司一起，将其大部分活动和会议在线转移。
在由于Covid-19导致许多重要的行业事件（包括LASYS，AKL和光博会）以及其他重要的光子技术事件而被取消之后，正在采取此类措施。
光学学会SPIE还将以数字方式举办其 国防和商业传感， 智能结构和无损评估会议，将于 4月6日至10日举行 SPIE Photonics Europe网络会议。在那些日子里，那些注册的人将能够按需观看和收听录制的演示文稿并提交书面问题。将要求作者定期检入并回答问题。SPIE说，原Photonics Europe技术交流和短期课程的注册费将退还。
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