Ventilator Components, Testing Kits and Face Masks
San Diego-based General Atomics, its member companies and affiliates, have come together in the fight against COVID-19, the company revealed on 14 April. Development of testing kits, 3D printing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and manufacturing ventilator components is under way at sites across the country.
GA Diazyme Laboratories is offering a COVID-19 antibody test facility, run on a fully-automated Diazyme DZ-Lite 3000 chemiluminescence analyser. The company has also notified the government of a rapid COVID-19 point-of-care antibody test that requires a single drop of blood and provides results in 10-15 mins.
GA’s Electromagnetic Systems group (GA-EMS) is pursuing component manufacturing and integration initiatives to help scale up production of ventilators: the company has also tested its first-generation mechanised bag valve mask, which could be fit into a backpack and provide more controlled, repeatable tides for children and adults.
GA-EMS is accelerating development of its MATCHBOX point-of-care molecular diagnostic platform in response to the growing need for testing. The system is expected to be able to use a point-of-care instrument to test and diagnose for a wide range of respiratory infections, including COVID-19.
GA’s Aeronautical Systems group (GA-ASI), GA-EMS and GA Energy have combined their manufacturing prowess and facilities to produce 3D-printed face shields to meet local demand for PPE. Since late March, this team has manufactured and shipped 5,000 masks.
