Metal Replacement of Ventilator Baseplate

Abstract: Thanks to advancements in the polymer industry, metal replacement with high performance polymers has become a growing practice in many industries due to the economical, lead time and weight advantages. Getinge AB was interested in introducing metal replacement to the medical technology industry by launching a thesis project to replace the die-cast aluminium in a key structural component of their ventilator products. The ultimate goal of the project was to provide enough information to decide if going to a prototype stage is an investment worthwhile. In order to provide the necessary data, the project was conducted in the following manner: an evaluation of the current aluminium design was done using finite element method (FEM) simulations, followed by a thorough material choice and design adjustments in order to enhance strength and manufacturability. Finally another set of FEM simulations were conducted for the new plastic design, that was compared to the performance of the originaldesign, in order to confirm the validity of the updated structure. The results from the project show that metal replacement might be a sound choice for the structure, considering the mechanical performance, potential cost reduction and reduced lead time. However the part strength is a liability and require thorough physical testing.