Mares full-face snorkel masks SEA VU DRY + become CPAP respirators

April 8, 2020 Lack of respirators is an ongoing issue the entire world seems to struggle with, in the face of the current COVID-19 pandemic. With their company completely closed and thousands of full-face snorkel masks sitting in a warehouse, Mares engineers came up with the idea to adapt these masks to work as medical respirators. With a few engineering adaptations, this concept became a reality. The generous help of Italian 3D printing manufacturer, Nuovamacut, and assistance from Dr. Renato Favero and engineer Cristian Fracassi, was instrumental in this process. Mares successfully converted the full-face snorkel mask SEA VU DRY + into a CPAP respirator mask for hospitals using the 3D printer of Nuovamacut offered for free. "We currently have 5,000 masks in the Rivalta logistics center. We managed to customize 500 masks and sent them to hospitals as a gift. We are in an emergency, and we all have to do our part," says engineer Sergio Angelini, Technical Director for Mares. Through this, Mares shows ingenuity and a golden heart. The masks have already been provided to hospitals in Parma, La Spezia, Lavagna, and San Lazzaro di Savena, Italy. As of today, large quantities are being worked on for the hospitals in Savona, Bologna, and Imola, Italy. Although this innovative idea was born in only a few days, inquiries exploded. Mares was completely closed due to the situation in Italy, but a request made to the government authorized them to reopen partially. This enabled production, allowing some employees to resume work and prepare these essential masks for delivery. The production of these respirators is proof that despite strict quarantine regulations and under challenging conditions, companies can still collaborate and come together for the greater good of humankind.