As part of the contribution of the Armed Forces strongly desired by Defense Minister Lorenzo Guerini, the Flight Experimental Department prints 3D and certifies the fittings to install FFP3 filters on snorkeling facial masks. First lot donated to the Casilino Polyclinic in Rome.
The Air Force Experimental Flight Department (RSV) has concluded the experimentation of the fittings for the facial masks from snorkeling transformed into medical protection devices. The first batch of masks and connectors was donated on April 17 to the Policlinico Casilino in Rome.
The adaptation of snorkeling masks into protective devices has materialized in the 3d printing of fittings mod. "ARTA" which allow theinstallation of two filters on the masks. This solution, intended only for particular emergency situations in which ordinary respiratory protection devices are not available, can be adopted as protection by medical and healthcare personnel in prolonged use and with the guarantee of a correct filtered air flow both inbound and outbound. In the next few days further connectors will be produced with the use of RSV 3D printers and will therefore be donated to the Roman hospital along with the masks made available by the staff of the Experimental Flight Center.
The initiative, born within the "ARTA project", saw the Experimental Flight Department involved in a non-profit collaboration Casilino Polyclinic and the company Solid energy, expert in the digital manufacturing sector. The support provided by the Aeronautical and Space Materials Technologies Department who has selected the most suitable material for the desired use and made of confidence tests for checking the connectors produced.
The constant and fruitful collaboration between the Departments of the Experimental Flight Center and the academic, industrial and scientific realities of the country has further intensified in this emergency period. The Colonel Igor Bruni, Commander of the Experimental Flight Department, on behalf of the Experimental Flight Center, he said, "particularly proud to be able to make his contribution, especially in favor of those who are at the forefront of this battle against COVID. The strong synergy developed on the recommendation of the Minister of Defense in this long period between the Ministry of Defense, the Department of Civil Protection and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Healthcontinues uninterruptedly as a summary of the concrete response of the country system in support of the management of the health emergency. This small project shows how quickly the military is able to adapt to give concrete answers to the community ".
The Experimental Flight Department, through the instrument of the Technical-Operational Certification (CTO), already in March it had carried out a series of study, research, experimentation and certification activities aimed at expanding the ability to transport stretchers of different types on the Armed Forces aircraft and helicopters, considerably enhancing the bio-containment capabilities of KC aircraft -767A, C-27J, C-130J and helicopters HH-101A, HH-139A and HH-212.
The ability to make in-house prototypes of aeronautical components used in the field of research, development and experimentation carried out in favor of the Air Force, Defense and Armed Corps of the State, makes RSV a cutting-edge Department in the sector and in additive manufacturing techniques.