In the process of fighting the epidemic in China, domestic vehicle and parts enterprises have played an important role. Wuling, BYD, GAC and ZF have successively switched to medical protective materials such as masks to solve everyone's urgent needs.
May be inspired by China car companies to switch to masks, many foreign car companies have also been ordered to switch to ventilators.
United States: Ford, GM and Tesla were named.
As of yesterday, the United States has diagnosed more than 80,000 people, surpassing Italian and China, ranking first in the world.
In fact, before this, Trump had begun to lose his temper. After Musk expressed his willingness to produce ventilators for the country, Trump responded quickly on March 22nd, naming Ford, General Motors and Tess as the green light, urging them to produce ventilators as soon as possible. "Let me see how good you are?"
Gm said that it has arranged supply at present? 95%? Are you looking for spare parts for ventilator? 37? The necessary part. The first batch of parts will be in? 4? Month? 5? It was delivered a few days ago, and the ventilator is expected to be produced. 20? About ten thousand units.
Italy: Turn to Ferrari and FCA.
In Italy, where the epidemic is the worst, the government requires the largest ventilator manufacturer in China? Siare？ Engineering? Will the monthly production capacity change from? 160? Raise it to? 500? Taiwan Province. ?
So what? Siare？ For Ferrari and? FCA？ Ask for help. I hope they can produce some parts of ventilators. Siare？ The CEO of? Gianluca? Preziosa? It is pointed out that these two industries have some common characteristics. More dependent on electronics and gas mechanics. Moreover, automobile companies have strong purchasing power and supply chains all over the world, and they can quickly obtain the required parts.
FCA？ The spokesman said, 3? Month? 19? Japan has been with? Siare？ There are two options at present: FCA? And Ferrari to provide technical support and help? Siare？ Production of spare parts; Or outsource all parts production to automobile manufacturers.
Britain: Space companies and Rolls-Royce become the main forces.
According to the Guardian, 25? According to reports, the British government has obtained production drawings from large ventilator manufacturers, and convened a "ventilator emergency national team" composed of various enterprises including space companies Meggitt and GKN, automobile company Rolls Royce, McLaren Group, Nissan, national defense manufacturer Terez Group and medical device manufacturer Renishaw.
The major is in charge of the main ventilator. What parts are needed for manufacturing? 3D？ Printing technology is supported by GKAN and Terez Group; McLaren and Leslie are responsible for the design; Resoni is responsible for providing professional medical technical support. If all goes well, Nissan will open the Sunderland plant in northeast England and its production capacity.
There are only two requirements: 1. Must be based on domestic available parts/raw materials; 2. The design can only be used, and the main purpose is "rapid mass production".
It can be seen that in order to mass-produce ventilators as soon as possible, Britain has decided to ensure quantity but not quality.
Germany: Volkswagen is exploring 3D printing ventilators.
German Volkswagen is also studying the possibility of producing fan accessories with 3D printers. Volkswagen said in a statement that the group has more than? 125? Taiwan Province industry? 3D？ Printers have certain technical reserves in 3D printing, and are willing to assist ventilator manufacturers to produce related parts and other life-saving equipment through 3D printing.
At present, a team for refitting medical ventilators has been set up internally, and relevant materials are being tested to contact the supply chain.
However, the reality is not optimistic, and German experts also said that it is unrealistic for car companies to switch to ventilators.
Take Tesla for example. Musk once thought that Tesla was the most capable automobile manufacturer to produce ventilators, because Tesla had advanced air-conditioning heat pump technology, which was one of the necessary technologies to produce ventilators. HEPA from Tesla? The filter element of air conditioner may reach the filtration standard of ventilator with a little improvement; The life support system of space exploration technology company spacecraft can provide technical basis for ventilator.
But the reality is that Tesla can't mass-produce ventilators yet. After being named by Trump, Musk had to turn to China for help and bought them on March 25th through the Tesla China team? 1255? Taiwan Province passing by? FDA？ The certified ventilator was transported to Los Angeles for first aid.
Moreover, judging from Musk's Twitter on March 27, Tesla may not be able to switch to ventilators in a short time, so "the company will provide ventilators produced by other manufacturers such as ResMed, Philips and Medtronic from tonight."
To put it bluntly, it still depends on procurement.
This is probably the fastest time that Musk was hit in the face. Of course you can't blame him. After all, it is a worldwide problem for car companies to switch to ventilators. Nicholas, head of medical technology of the German Machinery Production Association? Kuczaty also said: "It is unrealistic for automobile companies to produce such complex medical equipment as ventilators in just a few weeks or months."
So what are the difficulties for car companies to switch to ventilators?
But on reflection, this matter is full of doubts.
1. time, car companies can switch to the mask production line very quickly, and may produce products in one month, but this is not the case with the ventilator, which not only meets the requirements of clean workshops, but also meets the relevant standards of medical devices.
Caitlin who specializes in supply chain at Notre Dame University. Professor Wowart said, "The speed of rebuilding the factory depends on the similarity between the new products to be produced in the product line and the existing products." ?
Many foreign experts believe that it may be necessary for car companies to switch to ventilators. 18? Next month, it will be a year. Hurry up. At that time, it was estimated that group immunity had already appeared.
2. Technology: China ventilators have high production capacity and many brands, but they are limited to low-end brands, and high-end products still have to be imported. At present, the core technology patents of high-end ventilators are still in the hands of a few overseas groups.
For car companies, the extent to which ventilator manufacturers are willing to share their own design drawings and other resources is directly related to the ability of car companies to change production. Obviously, however, this kind of job-related matter cannot be easily announced to the public.
Used to be used by Italian engineers? 3D？ Printing a breathing valve to solve the urgent needs of the hospital was finally sued by the manufacturer for infringement. Even if the lawsuit is finally cancelled, the original manufacturer "still cannot provide design documents due to medical regulations".
3. Supply chain, unlike masks, the raw materials of masks may be completely satisfied by one supplier. But the ventilator is a precision instrument, involving hundreds of parts, and the supply chain of these parts is scattered all over the world, especially in China.
Therefore, even if we directly ask for technical information from ventilator manufacturers, as in the United Kingdom, under the epidemic situation, the global supply chain is broken, and no one can mass-produce ventilators in a short time without raw materials.
4. Professionals, the operating standards of automobile and ventilator production lines are different. Medtronic, a well-known medical manufacturer, said that the manufacture of ventilators is a complex process, which requires skilled and professional staff and strict supervision system to ensure that products meet the standards.
However, under the current epidemic situation, foreign automobile factories have stopped production, and ordinary employees can't recruit them, let alone professional production workers.
In short, it may be easy for car companies to build millions of cars, but it is still difficult to mass-produce ventilators across borders.
Of course, in the anti-epidemic actions all over the world, our determination is the same, so we can only hope that ventilator manufacturers and car companies can reach an understanding on the issues of interests and public welfare, and everyone will do their part.
This article comes from car home, the author of the car manufacturer, and does not represent car home's position.