The challenge
Global pandemic
COVID-19 began impacting Australia in February 2020. By mid-March the exponential rise in confirmed cases was causing a surge in the demand for personal protective equipment such as surgical face masks. Surgical face masks have been identified as a critical resource in the fight against the virus.
With disruptions to the global supply chain, the Australian Government sought to address potential shortages of medical equipment, such as surgical face masks and the materials to make them, with local manufacturers. In order to meet the growing demand, it was now vital to mobilise local manufacturers and repurpose production facilities to produce surgical face masks at very large scale here in Australia.
A collaboration was quickly underway between the Australian Government, CSIRO and targeted Australian manufacturers to develop and test materials and manufacturing processes needed to produce the masks.
Our response
Helping industry adapt
We had a long-term partnership with Melbourne non-woven fabric manufacturer, Textor Technologies.
The textile equipment used to produce Textor's products could also be used to make filtration material suitable for surgical masks.
Using our pilot scale facilities at Waurn Ponds, Textor rapidly adapted to see if they could manufacture the material at commercial scale. Our role was to test the performance of the material, before it went on to accreditation testing. The material could then be converted into finished surgical masks (bonded, pleated, ties or elastic, and suitably packaged) by Victorian surgical mask manufacturer, Med-Con.
At the time, Med-Con was Australia’s only manufacturer of surgical masks, typically producing around two million units per year out of its Shepparton facility. As a result of COVID-19, the SME was asked to increase its production by at least tenfold. This meant introducing more machines to its factory and increasing its workforce to cope with demand.
Concurrently to scaling up production of non-woven filtration material, we also developed potential alternative materials that could be used in other medical equipment. We refined this technology, and then worked with a commercial textile company to scale up the production process.
In another Team Australia approach we worked with Flinders University, University of South Australia and Detmold to provide advice and equipment for a new mask testing facility in South Australia which tested locally made respirators and surgical masks.
The results
Boosting productivity
Working with our manufacturing industry partners we found innovative ways to respond to increased product demand as a result of COVID-19 and overcame production challenges to boost productivity.
We supported Australia's Manufacturing industry by helping develop new materials, products, and processes. Our scientific and engineering innovations helped to transition Australian manufacturing into a globally connected, economically viable, high-technology sector.