VELLEMAN assists the non-profit organization Gear Up Medical in the development of an intelligent breathing machine. The company, along with a number of others, followed up on the Herregodts brothers' call to help them develop the device further.

After an initial contact, VELLEMAN immediately made the Product Development team available. This team was responsible for the development of a full-fledged operating system with intelligent electronics and software. Meanwhile, teams of Engie Fabricom and Engie Axima refined the original design and manufactured the mechanical parts of the ventilator in its laboratories in Zwijndrecht. Tractebel took care of the coordination and experts from Engie Laborelec tested the mechanical design.

Fast & Smart prototyping

"When we were asked to see if we could help with Engie, we immediately accepted to put our shoulders to the wheel", says VELLEMAN ceo Peter Delbecque. "VELLEMAN has a long tradition in the development of electronics. However, developing a ventilator's operating system in such a short time was quite different. The team has split the tasks as much as possible in order to work in parallel. They applied fast & smart prototyping principles to allow to develop and test very quickly. However, the fact that they could achieve such a result and guarantee a finished device in just 3 weeks, is entirely due to the commitment of everyone and the smooth cooperation between the parties involved. Our suppliers, ACB and Assemblics, were also able to deliver the necessary items on very short notice."

Thanks to the combined expertise of, among others, VELLEMAN, Engie Fabricom, Engie Axima, Tractebel and Laborelec, the non-profit organization of the brothers Herregodts received the prototypes on Friday 17 April. The devices are now being used for various validation tests and certification, including a digital artificial lung in a hospital setting.

VELLEMAN wishes to thank Engie and partners for the good cooperation in these exceptional times. It wishes Gear Up Medical vzw every success in the certification and production of the ventilator and hopes the device will be available soon to assist hospitals worldwide in the care of patients affected by the Covid-19 virus.  To finance this process, Gear Up Medical is still looking for financial support to purchase parts, carry out certification and start the production. 

You can support this project financially at https://www.coronaventilator.be/#funding