Honda Begins Making Ventilator Parts for COVID-19 Patients
Honda has begun producing vital ventilator parts for COVID-19 patients at its technical development center in Marysville, Ohio.
The automaker teamed up with Dynaflo, a manufacturer of valves, pumps, and compressors, to help it increase its production of diaphragm compressors. These are a key component of portal ventilators that hospitals and first responders use when treating COVID-19 patients.
Honda’s engineering and manufacturing expertise can greatly help boost Dynaflo’s current capacity. They believe that together, they can produce 10,000 compressors per month, and expect to maintain that level of production until at least the end of August. Before the COVID-19 crisis, Dynaflo had been making about 75 compressors per week.
“Honda associates have successfully transformed a portion of our technical training center into an assembly line that will help support the urgent need to produce ventilator components,” said Rick Schostek, a Honda executive. “With our supply of these key components to Dynaflo, we hope to help address one of the most pressing needs within the COVID-19 crisis.”
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The Japanese automaker repurposed a 6,000-square-foot area of its Marysville facility into a space where its associates, following social distancing guidelines and sanitizing protocols, can assemble the compressors. Honda associates are also working closely (though not too closely, we hope) with Dynaflo personnel to learn best practices in compressor assembly.
“Being connected to Honda of America has been a godsend,” said William Fleming, president of Dynaflo. “Combining our diaphragm compressor technology with Honda’s expertise in mass production is a perfect combination to help meet the needs of this crisis.”
To expedite their plan to make ventilator parts for COVID-19, Honda and Dynaflo also partnering with Stop the Spread, a coalition of over 1,500 volunteer CEOs working to support the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Honda stopped vehicle production at its North American facilities on March 23 and is currently planning to reopen on May 8.
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Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.