Cambridge’s Eclipse Automation strikes deal to help with respirator mask production – TheRecord.com

Cambridges Eclipse Automation Inc. has announced an exclusive agreement with Harmontronics Automation of Suzhou, China, to manufacture, sell, distribute, service, commission and modify the Harmontronics fully automated N95 Vertical Flat-Fold Respirator Mask Production Line system across North America.

When it comes to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone has a role to play, said Albert Cai, Harmontronics president and CEO. This partnership combines Harmontronics intelligent automated machine designing and building with Eclipses automation expertise to localize the equipment and to help local customers for production ramp up.

Eclipse and Harmontronics have initiated investment for an initial production line to be brought to Cambridge and put into operation within a month.

Working with North American manufacturers the system will be customized to meet their specific needs and support qualification efforts for various respirator designs. It is anticipated that this initial system will help get new respirators into the health-care supply chain and into the hands of health-care professionals across North American as quickly as possible.

I am seeing a lot of companies, with the best of intentions, trying to get into this arena; but, without the experience in medical device automation, they may be chasing inferior systems that could be unsafe to run and produce faulty masks, Steve Mai, Eclipse president and CEO explains. Eclipse has the know-how to assess this system already producing N95 masks in China and see that any modifications required to meet North American specifications are done quickly and correctly. We can expedite this to provide a top-notch N95 mask automation system and lead the process to see that it can be scaled to all who need it. We can deliver a level of proactive control to the solution that is crucial for such an important product.

With moving this automation implementation process to Cambridge, Eclipse Automation can facilitate mass production and make sure that local needs can be met, to the North American standards. The manufacturing will still take place from the Harmontronics facility in China and Eclipse will work closely with their customers and Harmontronics to assure high standards for safety, spare parts and usability.

Eclipse Automation is a leading supplier of custom automated manufacturing equipment for the life sciences, energy, transportation, consumer, electronics and industrial industries. With locations in Canada, the United States and Hungary, Eclipse Automation delivers state-of-the-art solutions through automation technology and project experience.

Harmontronics Automation is a factory automation solution provider for small and precise product manufacturing. They design, integrate and manufacture capital equipment for the automotive Electronics, health care and new energy industries.

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Cambridge's Eclipse Automation strikes deal to help with respirator mask production - TheRecord.com