The Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment is collaborating with the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences to manufacture medical ventilators which are much needed in the coronavirus fight.

The manufacturing team is headed by the Director of the Adaptronics Advanced Manufacturing Technology Laboratory (Adaptronics AMTL), Professor Oscar Philander.  Members from Adaptronics AMTL include Technical Manager, Mornay Riddles; Logistics and Operations, Eugene Erfort; Electronics and Mechatronics Technologist, Cyprian Onochi; Mechanical Technologist, Lubabalo Matshoba; Technician, Kerwyn Lategan; Artisan, Romeo Arendse and Department of Mechanical Engineering MTech Student, Tristan Edwards.

Other members are Project Consultant and Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences Acting Dean, Prof Penelope Engel-Hills, and Bachelor of Emergency Medical Care lecturer Louis Jordaan, who is also a Project Technical Adviser.

Philander says that when a desperate need for ventilators was identified in early April, he started looking at what other people were doing and downloaded and studied open-source designs for these devices.

Prof Marshall Sheldon also urged the Adaptronics AMTL to assist in any way with products to help in the fight against the pandemic. Philander then identified three areas, face shields, face masks, and ventilators.  The team has successfully produced both shields and masks using conventional manufacturing processes. “To date, we’ve finalised the design and manufacturing process for the face shield and handed out sample shields for evaluation purposes.”

He states that about 22 of these went to CPUT security staff while six went to doctors and emergency medical services staff on the front line. “So far the feedback on the shields has been positive and we have produced a stock of 150 face shields. Our prototype mask also underwent a cursory review by a medical doctor and he provided valuable feedback on its operation and use. We are currently prototyping the third variant of the face mask that should be ready for testing in about a week.”

Philander adds that the ventilators they are manufacturing are highly sophisticated lifesaving instruments. “Most of the open-source designs are for systems that mechanically depress AmbuBags or Bag Valve Masks (BVM).

“I decided to focus our work on such a system and contacted Prof Penelope Engel-Hills, requesting assistance in procuring a BVM.”

He states that Jordaan delivered a BVM to the Adaptronics AMTL and gave them a short introduction on how the BVM is used in the field and how it could potentially be used as a substitute ventilator when hospitals are overrun with patients desperately needing assisted breathing devices.

“My team is currently in the third iteration of the design and it was decided that we would minimise the amount of moving parts in the design thus making control of it easier. The design goals include varying the volume of air displacement, as well as varying the inspiration and exhalation rates.”

The Grassy Park born professor who enjoys helping communities says the team is finalising the design and will start prototyping soon.  Once the prototype is complete, the device will be tested in collaboration with the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences to obtain its specifications and how it could be used in the field.

“This will be a critical phase of the development due to the complexity of its function. More will be shared once we reach this stage,” he remarks.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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CPUT students and staff members will take part in this year’s Sasol Solar Car Challenge 2018, South Africa for the first time.

Held every second year, the competition sees teams from across the world design and build solar-powered vehicles to drive across South Africa in an eight day event.

Prof Graeme Oliver of the Mechanical Engineering Department has put together a team of 20 staff members and students to compete against the more than 20 local and international teams expected to participate.

Oliver initially signed CPUT up for the competition back in May, but only received confirmation of Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) funding at the end of June, leaving two months to put together the car.

Since the project is not integrated into a particular course or subject, students from Mechatronics, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering have volunteered to work on the team with the help of the TIA Adaptronics AMTL research unit based at CPUT.

“Because this is our first time entering the Challenge there is a lot of extra learning to be done. Until you have the actual thing in your hand, you can’t always tell what you need. So, we need to build the car. In two years’ time we will probably have all exact motors and solar panels and experience we need,” said Oliver.

Eugene Erfort of the Adaptronics AMTL pointed out that automotive technology is one of their focus areas. While the specific technology is different the experience gained on the Formula Student project will be useful. CPUT has taken part in the Formula Student inter-university challenge twice at Silverstone Circuit in the United Kingdom.

“Because we’ve got the history in the automotive industry we became involved in this project,” said Erfort who will handle logistics for the CPUT team entering the Challenge.

The solar electronic car which they will build for the Sasol Solar Challenge 2018, South Africa will be called CPUT Solar Flyer “because it looks a bit like a plane.”

Mechanical Engineering lecturer and project organiser Felicity Harris says if all goes well then this could be the start of future projects of this nature which can be incorporated into coursework.

In addition to helping organise the actual trip Harris is putting together an academic engagement plan.

“Part of the bigger plan is to use the project to create awareness around studying engineering at CPUT. After the competition we will take the car to schools as a talking point,” said Harris.

The 20 strong team is hard at work in the Adaptronics AMTL building, when teaching and learning schedules allow, but not all will travel to Pretoria for the actual road trip.

The team who do eventually make the journey will drive the car from Pretoria to Stellenbosch between 22 and 29 September, covering a set distance every day, and we will be able to follow their progress via social media and the CPUT website.

Written by Theresa Smith
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