Ford joins 3M, GE to make ventilators, respirators
Ford IS following GM in heeding the president's call for emergency medical equipment. The automaker said Tuesday it is joining GE and 3M to produce thousands of ventilators and respirators needed for coronavirus patients.
Ford will work with GE's healthcare unit to expand production of GE's ventilator design to support patients with respiratory failure or those who have trouble breathing due to the pathogen.
Separately, Ford will work with 3M to expand output of its air-purifying respirators badly needed by first responders and healthcare workers. It hopes to use one of its Michigan plants to help 3M boost production ten-fold Ford will use off-the-shelf parts like fans from its Ford F-150 cooled seats.
Ford's designers are also starting to test transparent full-face shields for first responders.
Its rival, GM is building ventilators at its Indiana plant in partnership with medical equipment maker Ventec. And FiatChrysler plans to make more than a million masks a month by converting one of its plants in China.
