Advanced Test and Automation, Inc.  (ATA) is working with StarFish Medical  to produce ventilators in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The partnership will accelerate the development and delivery of the CEV Winnipeg Ventilator, which is one of the four made-in-Canada ventilator projects ordered as part of the Canadian federal government’s response to COVID-19.

“We are thrilled to be putting our engineering resources towards a solution that can help save lives during this pandemic,” says Michael Stuparyk, director of business development at ATA. “Our extensive knowledge of pneumatics, electromechanical design, testing, and manufacturing is being leveraged to deliver the pneumatic module used in The Winnipeg Ventilator. Our team is dedicated to ensuring effective, quality ventilators are available to patients when they need them most.”

The partnership will accelerate the development and delivery of the CEV Winnipeg Ventilator. (Credit: ATA)

As part of this initiative, ATA has converted part of its facility into a cleanroom and deployed the quality systems appropriate for medical device manufacturing. “We have a flexible facility with a team that is accustomed to maintaining stringent quality standards in a dynamic environment,” says Anthony Khoraych, ATA's president.“I am proud of what we’ve been able to achieve with the StarFish project in such a short time. We are dedicated to doing our part in making sure the Canadian healthcare system has the tools needed to fight this pandemic.”

ATA has converted part of its facility into a cleanroom and deployed the quality systems appropriate for medical device manufacturing. (Credit: ATA)

Alexander Shvartsberg, program manager at StarFish Medical adds, “ATA has been instrumental in accelerating the design, procurement, and manufacturing processes of this project. Their expertise in pneumatics and testing, working with StarFish engineers, has enabled us to develop the prototypes we need and meet our internal milestones on time. ATA has really stepped up to help us meet our ambitious goal of developing a quality ventilator in a matter of weeks.”

StarFish Medical is leading the ventilator design project, which will be sold by Canadian Emergency Ventilators (‘CEV’) as The Winnipeg Ventilator. The Government of Canada has ordered 7,500 units, with deliveries expected in June. ATA will provide:

  • Mechanical design and validation of the ventilator’s pneumatic circuit.
  • Manufacturing of the ventilator’s pneumatic module.
  • End-of-line production test equipment for the ventilator.

About Advanced Test and Automation: ATA is an engineering firm offering product development design, test engineering, and manufacturing solutions for electromechanical fluid devices. Headquartered just outside Toronto, ATA has provided turn-key systems and engineering services to Fortune 500 companies worldwide for over a decade. ATA’s unique SectionID™ platform enables rapid product validation, by leveraging hundreds of pre-designed modules to define and build application-specific validation tools quickly. ATA focuses on quantifying performance during conditions that present unique technical challenges, providing easy-to-use solutions to simulate temperature extremes, excessive vibration, aerated fluids and more. ATA is an accredited ISO 17025 calibration laboratory and a National Instruments Alliance Partner. The company provides thought leadership through SAE and USCAR industry committees and test standard development.

About StarFish Medical: StarFish Medical is a full-service medical device design company offering design, development, and manufacturing services. It is based in Toronto, ON, and Victoria, BC, Canada. The company uses its Pathfinder™ process to reduce wasted effort and increase success for medical device product definition, technical engineering, and product development. Prototype and volume production are delivered within an ISO 13485 certified Quality Management System and an FDA registered manufacturing and cleanroom facility.