ROME, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced Thursday that it has manufactured over 3,000 ventilators in three months as part of the Italian response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, describing this is a "milestone" achievement.
The effort was spearheaded by Extraordinary Commissioner for the COVID-19 Emergency Domenico Arcuri and the Civil Protection Department in collaboration with Siare Engineering International Group -- the only company in Italy that produces these specific electrical medical devices, the Italian-American carmaker said in a statement.
Before the pandemic broke out, monthly production at Siare Engineering stood at around 125 machines, Fiat Chrysler said.
Fiat Chrysler stepped in to repurpose Siare's business through its Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Region Manufacturing Engineering division, and as a result, production ramped up tenfold, from 8 to 80 units per day.
The new workflow included the building of solenoid valves -- the "beating heart" of a ventilator -- at a Fiat Chrysler plant in Cento in the northern Emilia-Romagna region, which produces high-performance engines for markets around the world.
At the same time, the production line at the Siare Engineering laboratories was adapted for the solenoid valves produced by the Cento plant.
Manufacturing the solenoid valves at the Fiat Chrysler plant reduced the time it took to produce a finished device at Siare's plant by 30-50 percent, Fiat Chrysler said.
Founded in 1974, Siare designs and produces electromedical equipment for anesthesia and resuscitation. Fiat Chrysler designs, engineers, manufactures, and sells vehicles worldwide. It operates more than 100 plants and 40 R&D centers in over 40 countries. Enditem
