A CA L L FOR ENG I NE E R S
SAV I NG T H E WOR L D I N T I ME S OF C R I S I S
A CA L L FOR ENG I NE E R S
SAV I NG T H E WOR L D I N T I ME S OF C R I S I S
Innovative system to speed-clean ambulances
We’re incredibly proud of our students’ response to COVID-19. Students stepping up to support frontline staff and our community
3D Face visors by Dr Pete Dorrington
What next? Academics are now looking at expanding the use of this technology so that it can be used to clean schools and aeroplanes.
Cleaning ambulances by hand can take hours and is potentially dangerous to workers, so a team of researchers here in Engineering, supported by the Welsh Government, developed a new system to cut the time to less than 20 minutes and without the need to drive to a specialist disinfection facility.
The new system uses rapid release gases to penetrate all areas of the vehicle, which can destroy any viruses or bacteria present. This means an ambulance transporting a patient with coronavirus can be safely cleaned and back out on the road in half the time.
What inspired you to start creating the 3D face visors? It all started from messages with one of our EngD students, David O’Connor. We considered how we could use our expertise and resources at Swansea University to do something to help frontline workers. For me, it was particularly acute, as my wife – Dr Ceri Lynch – is a Consultant Intensive Care Doctor in the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. Ceri came home one day and said they were down to only a few visors. For me, this was the tipping point that made me want to push harder to do something. David and I both have close friends who work in the NHS, so it was of particular importance for us to help where we could. We considered other forms of PPE (such as masks) but decided to focus on something that would be realistic in the urgent timescales we had, and that would not require months and months of certification. What does your day look likewhen working onmass printing the face visors? David, along with our EngD students and a few research staff, has been instrumental in setting up the re-purposed 3D printer and visor assembly production line. I have two children, so have only been able to get into University a few times, which is why having
Alex Duffield Materials Science and Engineering student Alex Duffield joined together with 3D Crowd UK to print 3D face shields for frontline staff across the UK. The team quickly got to work producing over 80,0000 shields for the initial batch with over 6,000 volunteers. Supporting their urgent work, Alex set up a fundraising platform that raised over £115,000 to help buy necessary equipment. Mat Burnell Mechanical Engineering student Mat Burnell and his family’s business, Matter Value Ltd. teamed up with 3D face visors group to donate over 600m of straps and foam strips, enough for 1500 face visors. These crucial elastic straps hold the visors on and help to make the headbands more comfortable for the staff wearing the masks. Priyanka Jayakumar Medical Engineering student Priyanka Jayakumar had the fantastic idea to help students who were moving out by sorting their unwanted items into charity bags. Rather than throw items away, Priyanka organised the bags to reduce waste and keep reusable items to be donated to local charity shops and those in need across Swansea.
ENG I NE E R I NG AT SWANS E A UN I V E R S I T Y
ENG I NE E R I NG AT SWANS E A UN I V E R S I T Y
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