Hospitals are understaffed and the equipment needed to fight against coronavirus is less than what is needed as manufacturers find it difficult to meet the growing demands.

Source: Ford

Because of this, many tech companies are offering their assistance in making the ventilators that are needed to treat the patients of COVID-19. The latest automaker that has offered their services is Ford that is going to start making the equipment as soon as they get the design.

On Monday, they announced that they will start manufacturing ventilators for General Electric’s health care division which has approved a ‘simple’ design that is not powered by a Florida ventilator company called Airon.

Source: Tech crunch

Since the coronavirus pandemic has broken out in the world, Ford began to work with GE to assist them in making their own ventilators. Furthermore, it has stated that the automaker will lend their services to Airon to increase the production of the equipment as they are already helping in making masks and other protective gear for workers in the health care sector.

Ford was also one of the companies that were shut down immediately due to coronavirus but they have resumed operation in Ypsilanti, Michigan where 500 United Auto Workers-represented volunteer employees will be paid to make ventilators.

They will begin their work around 20th April after getting the approval and have estimated the production of about 1500 ventilators by the end of the month. Further figures suggest that the automaker will continue to produce around 12,000 ventilators by the end of May, 50,000 by July and if the trend continues, their production will reach the rate of 30,000 per month.

Source: Business Insider

Director of Ford’s global manufacturing core engineering division, Adrian Price has said that the unpowered ventilator design is “absolutely robust in terms of its capability” so it will be easier to make.

As far as the employees who would be working to produce these ventilators are concerned, Ford stated that it would partner up with UAW to come up with strategies to screen them. They would also maintain social distancing at all times with the help of barriers, shield and other protective gears. Price notified that they would “also be looking at deploying new technology that can help us in the fight on COVID-19” but no further details have been disclosed.