It seems practically everybody has gained a heightened awareness of respiratory health as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. But this field of study is not a new one. Dr. Forrest M. Bird revolutionized the world of respiratory care, as his “pressure ventilator” freed thousands from iron lungs during the polio epidemic which peaked in 1952. This innovative device became the standard of pulmonary intensive care throughout the world. The foundations of Sandpoint, Idaho-based Percussionaire Corporation were formed in 1970’s when Bird shifted his focus and research towards improving his mechanical ventilators. The result was in the invention of Flow Ventilation®. This breakthrough was based on his technology, which continues to improve the quality of life for millions who suffer from pulmonary disease. The technology has never been more important than it is today.

Ventilator devices are comprised of a wide variety of parts. These complex machines are effective for most hospital patient populations, including treatment of Covid-19. They are versatile tools for critical care respiratory ventilation and can be used for adults as well as. Percussionaire ventilators are a critical care staple, offering a trusted solution for ventilating Covid-19 patients of all populations who have failed conventional types of ventilation.

Putting it all together
As one might imagine, the engineering and design of a medical ventilator is a complex task. But perhaps the most challenging operation is the exacting challenge of device assembly – all of which is done by hand. Inside the ventilator you can find a critical wire set that requires binding together in a tight, protective material. Assembly personnel at Percussionaire had improvised a way to accomplish this binding step – but it was a slow tedious method that required using a hand-held shrink gun to perform the final material shrinking process. While the desired result could be achieved in this fashion, the process was slow, and the repeated use of a hand-held heating device took a toll on assemblers. Though not ideal, under normal circumstances this approach was doable. But with the tremendous increase in demand for ventilators to treat Covid-19 patients, this assembly procedure was causing a production bottleneck. It was time to search for a solution that would increase production and at the same time save assemblers from the repetitive, somewhat dangerous use of a hot hand tool.

As is common today the search for the solution started on Google. By searching “shrink packaging solutions” the production manager tasked with finding a solution came across PAC Machinery. Once on the PAC website, it was easy to navigate to the shrink wrap machines section and scroll down to the subsection entitled tabletop shrink systems. There they found the Clamco Model 820 Shrink Tunnel with mesh belt. They learned that the Clamco Model 820 Shrink Tunnel is an ideal choice for dependable long-life performance in continuous production environments like Percussionaire.

Perfect for high demand packaging in smaller quantities
This compact shrink tunnel is designed for professional quality shrink packaging for smaller products in smaller production demands. It was clear that Percussionaire had found the solution they required. The Model 820 tunnel would deliver complete heating all around the wire bundle package for a smooth, tight result. Made of heavy-gauge structural steel, the Clamco 820 featured a variable-speed PTFE coated mesh belt conveyor, airflow heat transfer, and an automatic cool down timer – all features that Percussionaire valued highly. The decision was made.

In stock and ready for delivery
The good news became better news as Percussionaire learned that Clamco had the Model 820 Shrink Tunnel in stock and ready for immediate delivery. The ability to respond quickly is critical in times of urgent need. Percussionaire and Clamco PAC Machinery did their part to ultimately save lives. The requirement for ventilators to treat acute suffers of Covid-19 would remain a pressing need. And while PAC ultimately played a small roll, the contribution to a larger effort is not insignificant.