April 22, 2020 | By Lee Spencer

GM shifts manufacturing focus to provide PPE during COVID-19 pandemic

Although racing in the real world is standing idle during the coronavirus pandemic, the same can’t be said of GM, which has ramped up production of life-saving equipment to help counter the crisis.

GM has been producing much-needed ventilators and face masks and recently expanded its manufacturing of personal protective gear (PPE) to include latex-free face shields, protective gowns and aerosol boxes.

The manufacture of all these supplies, which GM is donating, have been led by employee volunteers, who are applying their automotive production skills—from 3D printing to sewing upholstery—to aid the front-line health workers during the pandemic.

The production of face shields was initiated with remarkable speed. On Mar. 23, GM’s Additive Manufacturing and Design Fabrication Operations teams first discussed the expansion into production of the face shields. By the evening of Mar. 27, the teams were turning out the first shields, which were 3D-printed at five different GM locations.

“3D printing allowed us to react quickly to the need for face shields and get initial units to people of the front line almost immediately,” said Steve Hart, GM director of design fabrication operations. “3D printing did exactly what it’s intended to do—it let us get a proof of concept and initial production off the ground and make incremental improvements based on recipient feedback prior to mass production.”

One of GM’s suppliers, Summit Polymers of Kalamazoo, Mich., donated a P20 injection mold that allowed GM to boost production of face shields from 4,000 to 25,000 per week. GM is purchasing a second injection mold that will double the capacity to 50,000.

“We worked with a local (Detroit-area) shop, S&K Tool and Die, to rapidly design and develop the mold to make the visors that hold the shields in place,” said Jody Flinton, general manager of Summit Polymers Plant 18. “Summit is proud to support GM in the effort to help save lives in our community and help keep our healthcare heroes safe.”

Once assembled, the face shields are shipped to high-priority hospitals in Metro Detroit in boxes of 100 each, as directed by the State of Michigan’s Personal Protective Equipment List.

The gowns GM is producing are sewn from Tyvek supplied by Henry Ford Health System (HFHS), weigh approximately two ounces and are breathable and protective. The finished gowns are being delivered to HFHS by GM employees.

The critically-needed aerosol boxes GM is manufacturing protect medical personnel during the intubation of patients.