Are there certification requirements for newly designed ventilators? If so, how long would that take?
I’m sure Trump’s FDA would grant an exemption.
I'm sure any FDA would grant an exemption.
Tesla Ventilator
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Re: Tesla Ventilator
#22Hopefully they get these right instead of ordering C-PAP machines [1] [1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/billroberson/2020/04/04/health-...
I see this everywhere. I also saw where they literally listed what machines they needed, and Tesla brought the exact machines they wanted, including B-PAP and C-PAP machines.
Re: Tesla Ventilator
#23I just took possession of a Model 3 about 2 weeks ago. Feel like I underpaid for it when seeing how some of the residuals are being used now.
Re: Tesla Ventilator
#24Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm interested in this too. In the video, they said they're attempting to make this using as many car parts as possible, to prevent themselves from taking supply away from other ventilator manufacturers. That's a noble goal, as well as it helps them leverage their existing supply chain.
I'm curious what the mixing chamber is used for in an electric vehicle. Is it part of the climate control system?
It said “Continental” as the manufacturer on it. If I had to guess, I would say it was the reservoir for their adjustable height air suspension.
Re: Tesla Ventilator
#25Not sure what to think of this. Any people working with real medical ventilators care to comment on this?
Free PR nothing else (and nothing wrong with that). Those engineers didn't call up the marketing/pr dept and ask for a professional video crew to show up - "cause we just want to share an update with the world".
Re: Tesla Ventilator
#26For more background info on what is needed for a ventilator and why it isn't that simple: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22779665
Indeed, all what I saw in last few weeks on other side of the Pacific were not advancing past what Chines factories without any prior health device engineering experience were able to come with in the first month.
To add to that, most of those factories don't even have real engineers with 6 years long education.
I think this is the best proof to the immense potency of Ctrl-C & Ctrl-V approach to doing things. America is loosing a lot by shying away from it.
Re: Tesla Ventilator
#27Yes, this is an impressive amount of work done in a few weeks by a small team at Tesla. However, medical devices, especially for life support systems, are not a Hackathon project.
These devices breathe air into patients lungs. They need to be manufactured in clean room conditions, with medical grade parts, not plumbing parts from a big box store. They must be designed and tested to ISO specifications. If this fails, the patient can die.
I can't imagine any hospital or doctor careless enough to connect one of these to a patient, even in this current emergency.
The smarter idea is to ramp up existing proven designs, not reinvent the wheel and basically do a publicity stunt about your engineering talent.
Re: Tesla Ventilator
#28This is not Tesla, but Seat has already done it : https://www.seat.com/company/news/company/from-making-cars-t...
Less techie, more down to earth, they used wipe motors.
Re: Tesla Ventilator
#29Yes, this is an impressive amount of work done in a few weeks by a small team at Tesla. However, medical devices, especially for life support systems, are not a Hackathon project. These devices breathe air into patients lungs. They need to be manufactured in clean room conditions, with medical grade parts, not plumbing parts from a big box store. They must be designed and tested to ISO specifications. If this fails,…
I agree. But one comment worth considering: does it take longer to retool an assembly line to make a new verified part, or to come up with a new design based on existing verified parts?
My money is on the former and they'd be better retooling some of the line _if_ there was an off-the-shelf set of designs to work from.
That said, there's room for all sorts of approaches. I just don't see this one reasonably panning out or being used.
Re: Tesla Ventilator
#30Yes, this is an impressive amount of work done in a few weeks by a small team at Tesla. However, medical devices, especially for life support systems, are not a Hackathon project. These devices breathe air into patients lungs. They need to be manufactured in clean room conditions, with medical grade parts, not plumbing parts from a big box store. They must be designed and tested to ISO specifications. If this fails,…
The whole point of this project is not to use up supplies needed to build ventilator but to compliment the ventilators they are already building by using Tesla parts.
This is fundamentally a logistics project. Plus, they have access to Medtronic engineers, and as long as the FDA approve the devices, I have no problem with it.