KMUTT Production Engineers Hint Copper’s Natural Antiviral Properties
Dr. Kongkiat Puparatanapong, Head of Research Center for Advanced Metal Processing (RCAMP) and lecturer at the Department of Production Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, KMUTT, together with the research team members including Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chaowalit Limmaneevichitr and Dr. Supareuk Boontien suggest using copper to fight back against Coronavirus disease or COVID-19.
The outer structure or membrane of the coronavirus is like most viruses made of a lipid bilayer that houses proteins and enables the virus to attach itself to host cells. However, it can inactivate by the copper ions that contain natural antimicrobial and antiviral properties.
Dr. Kongkiat Puparatanapong revealed that the research team conduct an additional study and discovered evidence confirmed the property to kill the virus. The research in 2015 and the recent medical study in 2020 show the time virus can be killed on the surface of over 90 percent copper. Besides, pure copper foil can be used for this purpose as well. Therefore, the team studied to incorporate copper plate into elevator buttons, the touch surfaces easily contaminated and have a high risk of transmission. By doing so can reduce the risk of being infected.
As a pilot project, 12 elevators at KMUTT installed the copper buttons provided by Acting Sub. Lt. Paponsan Pongsai (LUDTHUNYADAPON LIMITED PARTNERSHIP), who graduated from the Production Engineering Department. For more information or any inquiries please contact KMUTT at Tel. 02-4709188 or email: kongkiat.pup@gmail.com
KMUTT lecturers assist Thai mask industry by innovating equipment and streamlining the process to boost production by 30%
A team of KMUTT researchers has teamed up with Thai Hospital Products Co., Ltd. to accelerate production for ensuring Thai people sufficient supply. The team has 4 members leading by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bavornchok Poopat and Mr. Nopnarong Sirisatien, KMUTT lecturers at the Department of Production Engineering. Secondly, Mr. Paisal Tangchaisin is a former student of the Department of Production Engineering. Lastly, Mr. Thossaporn Bunthae is from The Institute of Field Robotics (FIBO).
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bovornchok Poopat revealed the plan after working with the company to help plan and design special equipment to increase their output. Because of the uninterrupted production, the company runs its automatic machines, a semi-automatic machine, and 60 manual ultrasonic welding machines in 2 shifts to raise the output. The limitation of time for maintenance leads the team to work on the development of 60 manual ultrasonic welding machines rather than the automated machines which cannot afford interruption to make the least effect on the current production plan.
Workers have to manually feed ear loops into a manual ultrasonic welding machine and weld them together with a face mask which slows the process and requires certain skills. The skillful workers can have 4,800 pcs/8 hours while less skilled or new workers can produce only 1,200-2,000 pcs/8 hours and the quality has not been consistent. After the team helps the company to change the working procedure for the workers and install additional equipment, a new ultrasonic welder head, the production can be raised to 5,000-6,000 pcs/ 8 hours or a 50% growth of production capacity. If the prototype is fully developed, the output can be increased to 6,000-6,5000 pcs/machine/8hrs or 360,000-390,000 pcs/60 machines/8hrs. Besides, the total capacity of the new machine combines with both automatic and semi-automatic machines will be 30% higher.
