Mercedes’ Formula 1 Engineers’ Produce Life-Saving Ventilators to Battle COVID-19

Gettyimages 1151838633
author profile picture

by Rebekah Valero-Lee on

As the impact of COVID-19 continues to be felt around the world, the engineering minds behind Mercedes Formula 1 are helping turn the tide in the battle against coronavirus by producing an innovative and lifesaving solution.

Mercedes High Performance Powertrains have produced engines that have won eight constructors’ championships and 10 drivers’ championships in Formula 1, but now this team of engineers have turned their skills to support health services through the ‘Project Pitlane’ scheme. The result? A non-invasive breathing aid that has received approval for use in the NHS to help patients affected by coronavirus.

Working with mechanical engineers at University College London (UCL), Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrain (the F1 team's engine division) have helped to reverse engineer a breathing device which is designed to keep coronavirus patients out of intensive care. The ventilator helps people with serious lung infections to breathe and avoid having to use ‘invasive mechanical ventilation’ – breathing devices that involve tubes through the skin or mouth, easing strain on hospitals and health care workers.

The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) breathing device has already been used extensively in Italy and China with 50% of patients in Italy who were given CPAP avoiding intensive care (according to UCL).

Incredibly, engineers managed to produce the first device production in less than 100 hours from an initial meeting which was held on Wednesday 18th March.

The device has received approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and is a vital step to solve the UK’s CPAP shortage.

One hundred devices will be used at University College Hospital for clinical trials before rapid roll-out to hospitals across the country.

Andy Cowell, Mercedes HPP’s Managing Director, said:

“The Formula 1 community has shown an impressive response to the call for support, coming together in the ‘Project Pitlane’ collective to support the national need at this time across a number of different projects.

“We have been proud to put our resources at the service of UCL to deliver the CPAP project to the highest standards and in the fastest possible timeframe.”

UCL’s Vice Provost, Health, Professor David Lomas, added that the collaboration “shows what can be done when universities, industry and hospitals join forces for the national good.”

This example of agility and ingenuity illustrates the power of teamwork and transferrable engineering skills. By being able to respond practically and ingeniously to solve real life crises, engineers were able to reduce a process that could take years down to a matter of days.

The other six UK-based F1 teams in Project Pitlane are also working to aid the UK’s efforts to treat patients suffering from coronavirus. Those teams are Red Bull, Racing Point, Haas, McLaren, Renault and Williams.

We have roles available across the automotive and motorsport sector, from vehicle and electrical repair technician jobs to mechanical fitters - search our latest opportunities here. 

Cx Jobs

Security Associate/Administrator

A Security Associate is required to work for our client BAE Systems in Barrow-in-Furness. The purpose of the role will be to execute routine security responsibilities for the assigned workstream in order to protect BAE Systems, its people, infrastructure, information and assets, as well as the interests of its shareholders and customers, and to fulfill regulatory and legal obligations. Duties will involve; - Coordinate and carry out security tasks based on relevant policies, standards, procedures and best practices of the assigned workstream. - Respond to and maintain records of security incidents, escalating where needed - Provides regular reports on security activities to inform decision making at more senior levels - Support security investigations through the provision of information - Assure the integrity of BAE employees working in the assigned business area by maintaining personnel security and access control processes and procedures. - Provide advice and guidance for the business area on routine security queries - Advise and train others, with support from senior colleagues, in routine security procedures - Support the security culture by raising security awareness among employees in the local area (i.e. through security inductions) and modelling behaviours that demonstrate BAE System The successful applicant will have a good knowledge of relevant security services, e.g. personnel security, information security, cyber and IT security, cryptographic management, asset protection, etc. You will have good understanding of legislation and regulations. You will have experience in interacting and communicating with different levels of seniority and with customers, and ability to exercise tact and diplomacy. Good written and verbal communication skills are required along with a good working knowledge of MS Office applications. An appropriate entry level Security qualification from a certified body, where relevant. You will be able to achieve and maintain required mandated SQEP for nuclear security and safety baselines if required.Morson is acting as an employment business in relation to this vacancy.Administration; filing; e-filing; GDPR; secretarial; data entry; data input; Excel; Word; Outlook; Access; MS Office; booking system; business support; database management; diary management; minute taking; document control; security coordinator; security administrator; security clearance; MOD Morson is acting as an employment business in relation to this vacancy.

 FPGA Engineer

FPGA Design Engineer 3-6 Months Contract Dorset *Dorchester* (DT2) £X0.00 P/H LTD Job Description A technology and defence (maritime) organisation are looking to add a FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) engineer to the team in Dorset, the successful candidate will be joining the team with to develop programmable logic design solutions, to high functional integrity levels. The successful FPGA Design Engineer will have the following responsibilities * Translate customer requirements into a firmware specification. * Create feasible preliminary architectures from the firmware specifications. * Carry out detailed implementation of RTL, constrained Place and Route and timing closure. * Derive verification plans to address design requirements. * Prepare related test cases to verify that the implemented design meets the requirements. * Design and utilise both unit level and BFM style verification test benches to exercise RTL. * Produce accurate written documentation to fully support the design for both internal and external customers. The successful FPGA Design Engineer should have the following skills & attributes * Proficiency in the use of a simulation tool e.g. ModelSim, Active-HDL, * Proficient in the use of Vendor design tools such as Xilinx Vivado or Altera Quartus Prime * Design and delivery of digital systems targeted at Programmable Logic Devices * IP Block design and Delivery * FPGA Verification using Self-Checking Testbenches * Producing high quality behavioural models FPGA Design Engineer £50.00 P/H 6 Months Contract Dorset (DT2) ADDITIONAL WE SEEK A FPGA ENGINEER WHO HAS WORKED IN A MILITARY / DEFENCE ENVIRONMENT / INDUSTRY WITHIN THE LAST 12 MONTHS OR WHO IS CAPABLE OF OBTAINING SECURITY CLEARANCE (SC LEVEL MINIMUM) FPGA Design Engineer 6 Months Contract Dorset *Dorchester* (DT2) £50.00 P/H Job Description A technology and defence (maritime) organisation are looking to add a FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) engineer to the team in Dorset, the successful candidate will be joining the team with to develop programmable logic design solutions, to high functional integrity levels. The successful FPGA Design Engineer will have the following responsibilities * Translate customer requirements into a firmware specification. * Create feasible preliminary architectures from the firmware specifications. * Carry out detailed implementation of RTL, constrained Place and Route and timing closure. * Derive verification plans to address design requirements. * Prepare related test cases to verify that the implemented design meets the requirements. * Design and utilise both unit level and BFM style verification test benches to exercise RTL. * Produce accurate written documentation to fully support the design for both internal and external customers. The successful FPGA Design Engineer should have the following skills & attributes * Proficiency in the use of a simulation tool e.g. ModelSim, Active-HDL, * Proficient in the use of Vendor design tools such as Xilinx Vivado or Altera Quartus Prime * Design and delivery of digital systems targeted at Programmable Logic Devices * IP Block design and Delivery * FPGA Verification using Self-Checking Testbenches * Producing high quality behavioural models FPGA Design Engineer £50.00 P/H 6 Months Contract Dorset (DT2) ADDITIONAL WE SEEK A FPGA ENGINEER WHO HAS WORKED IN A MILITARY / DEFENCE ENVIRONMENT / INDUSTRY WITHIN THE LAST 12 MONTHS OR WHO IS CAPABLE OF OBTAINING SECURITY CLEARANCE (SC LEVEL MINIMUM)

 Electrical Mate

ELECTRICAL MATES - NEWCASTLE CITY CENTRE - THE SPARK BUILDING - 5 MONTH CONTRACTOur client are a leading M&E Contractor that specialise in commercial projects across the UK. They currently require the services of Electrical Mates to start on their new build, high rise commercial project in Newcastle City Centre. Candidates are required to have ECS, PPE and previous experience across commercial projects.For more information, please contact Scarlet Wilson on 01617071516.

 Electrical Production Operative

Production Operatives (Electrical) - Sherburn-in-Elmet - £10.53 P/H - Immediate StartAre you the kind of person that thrives on working in a high-performance environment, where every day is new and challenging, and you will have the opportunity to change communities across the Country?Here at Legal & General Modular Homes, our vision is to make the housing market fairer for all.We design, manufacture, construct and install high quality, precision-engineered homes in dry, controlled conditions. Our 555,000 sq ft factory in Yorkshire (Europes largest) has the capacity to produce up to 3,500 affordable, sustainable homes per year, creating progressive careers across multiple disciplines.Due to the rapid expansion of our world class facility, we are now recruiting further talented production colleagues to join this truly unique opportunity. In our fantastic Modular Academy, we will give you all the required training to be the very best in your role, including learning new skills in Modern Methods of Construction!We set the bar high at L&G Modular Homes! We only welcome new colleagues that can demonstrate the following:High performingStrong work ethicFull agility & flexibility to performIntegrityPromote an inclusive & great working environmentWe want you to join and champion our core values of collaboration, straightforward, Cost & Value, purposeful & continuous improvement. These are the building blocks (no pun intended!) of how we operate as a business.We are specifically seeking candidates who enjoy manual work and have experience in any of the following areas: Assembly, tiling, stud & dry lining, tape & fill, painting, joinery, plumbing, electrical, basic DIY or general construction skills.We want to show the world what we can do, and we enjoy doing it!**We are looking for a number of colleagues to start in our facility throughout all of 2021. Although we are currently operating a day shift - we will be moving to a shift pattern and all applicants need to be flexible around an early & late shift.**Due to the location of this role we require people who would be able to drive/walk or cycle to site. All colleagues that join L&G Modular Homes are subject to background screening including DBS check.Interested? We look forward to hearing from you!COVID-19The health & safety of all of our colleagues is our number one priority. We have strict social distancing measures on site and it is currently mandatory to wear a face mask in all areas.L&G Modular Homes is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are based on business requirements, job needs and individual qualifications relevant to the role and are not influenced by age, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or disability status.For more information on this role, please contact Scarlet Wilson 01617071516.
Austin Distel Va Opp86kf Q Unsplash

Advertisement