It has developed a machine to clear N95 respirator masks.
Frederick, Md (KM) A Frederick Company has developed a machine to clean N95 respirators masks used by doctors and other health professionals. Eric Couch, President of INPRO Technologies, say the device is called DECON95. “This is projects is a way to disinfect N95 FFRS. which stands for Facepiece Forming Respirators,” he says. “These are the respirators our health care workers are wearing to protect themselves from patients infected with COVID-19.”
Normally, these facemasks are discarded after one use, but many physicians and health care workers re-use them because there are currently in short supply.
Couch says the company developed a prototype, and recently completed a production model. He says it cleans and disinfects these face masks using ultra-violet light technology.
He says INPRO Technologies has applied to the US Food and Drug Administration for Emergency Use Approval for DECON95. “Right, we think we can do conservatively 12,000 masks a day. And we have some ideas on how we can double that number,” Couch says.
Unlike other approvals by some government agencies, where company submits an application and waits for a decision, Couch say FDA is working with INPRO Technologies to get this product approved.
He says the company is not looking at this product as another business opportunity. “We know our health care workers are at risk right now, and we have the ability to do something about that. So we have a moral obligation to do that,” Couch says.
He says anything we do to help alleviate this crisis will not have FDA approval beyond that.
INPRO Technologies was founded by Eric’s father, Bob Crouch. It specializes in developing an manufacturing equipment using ultra-violet light technology used in industrial curing, according to a hews release. The company specializes in adhesion control, static control and web cleaning, all of which improves the manufacturing process significantly.
INPRO Technologies is located on Peausus Court in the Westview Business Park.
