Blue-White engages all resources to quickly develop temporary ventilator
When officials in Huntington Beach, California, became concerned whether enough ventilators would be available to treat the anticipated surge in COVID-19 patients, the city turned to Blue-White Industries, a local manufacturer of chemical metering pumps, flowmeters and water treatment accessories. City officials asked Blue-White to quickly develop and build temporary ventilators that met multiple specifications and requirements. Without hesitation, Blue-White’s engineering team, led by president and chief executive officer Rob Gledhill, took up the challenge.
“The initial design parameters called for us to automate the manual process of squeezing a manual valve bag (Ambu Bag) in emergency conditions to provide positive pressure ventilation to patients having difficulty breathing,” Gledhill said. “This process is meant to be used as a temporary measure, lasting from a few hours to three days, to sustain a patient until a long-term ventilator becomes available.”
For two weeks, seven of Blue-White’s most experienced engineers — mechanical, electrical and manufacturing — collaborated with Gledhill to design, develop and test prototypes. They drew on the expertise of local doctors, respiratory therapists and professors.
“With a strong desire to be of service, and with will and determination, we produced what we believe is an exceptionally high-quality and reliable piece of equipment,” said Gledhill. “We developed the Blue-White Temporary Ventilator using 100% in-house parts, raw materials and existing equipment.”
Blue-White’s ventilator is currently in long-term testing and is being submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval. In the meantime, Blue-White’s team is busy developing a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack so the ventilator can be portable.
