The Ford F-150 pickup has joined the coronavirus fight, a report from Fox News says.
Ford is helping 3M redesign the powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) that it makes for first responders and health care workers to protect them from contracting the virus while treating patients.
The device incorporates a fan normally used to for ventilated F-150 seats, 3M HEPA filters and power tool batteries for portability. Ford is looking into the feasibility of manufacturing them at an initial rate of 1,000 units per month at the Advanced Manufacturing Center, with plans to quickly expand production beyond that number.
Ford is also working with GE Healthcare to engineer a simplified version of its much-needed ventilator that it said could potentially be built at a Ford facility.
In the meantime, Ford has started producing transparent face shields to protect health care workers from bodily fluids and expects to be manufacturing them at a rate of 100,000 per week by next week.
Source: Fox News
