A Miele washer disinfector proved a key product to aid the UK Ventilator Challenge in the fight against COVID-19.
Ford UK is a key member of the VentilatorChallengeUK consortium and pledged to produce 15,000 Penlon ESO 2 ventilators at its Dagenham plant by July. Miele’s PG 8581 under-counter washer disinfector helped to speed up the processing of a vital component to ensure there was no bottleneck in production.
Two flowmeters, produced by Ford’s supplier MPB Industries, are required for each ventilator, which comprise delicate glass tubes that need to be cleaned of manufacturing residue prior to fitting. This intricate process was being carried out by hand and causing delays.
MPB approached Miele partner The Scientific Instrument Centre (SiC) to source an automated solution to a tight deadline, who recommended the Miele product for its functional flexibility and operational cost-effectiveness.
Despite both Miele’s UK and German head offices being in lockdown, the team was able to secure a product from stock in Germany and have it delivered directly to MPB Industries in just four days for this vital project.
Jason Bennion, managing director of MPB Industries said: “For 30 years we had been washing manufactured glass flow tubes by hand, using bottle brushes, warm water and detergent. Due to the fragile nature of the tubes at this stage and the level of cleanliness required, we didn’t think a machine wash was possible. We had tried a domestic washer in the past and the results were not favourable.
“When the Ventilator Challenge UK project came along we knew that we would struggle to keep up with demand and so fortunately SIC were able to recommend and source the Miele PG 8581 and accessories which has produced great results. This machine has significantly improved our turnaround time and freed up valuable man hours which we have then allocated to other areas of the project.”
