Thermoset composites are making the lives of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel a little less strainful. The new iN∫X (pronounced "in-ex") Integrated Patient Transport and Loading System from Ferno EMS integrates 16 parts supplied by The Composites Group (TCG; Highland Heights, OH) that achieved weight reductions compared with conventional components without adversely affecting strength. EMS workers routinely sustain sprains and strains, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
TCG and its three business units, Quantum Composites, Premix, and Hadlock Plastics, collaborated with Ferno in creating the motorized patient handling system, which was introduced at the 2014 Fire Department Instructors Conference this month in Indianapolis.
The parts manufactured by TCG include eight parts that form the four independently adjusting legs and eight parts that make up the four black arms that secure the legs to the cot. TCG's business units all contributed to the project: Quantum Composites supplied the AMC 8590 carbon fiber, Premix performed the compression molding, and Hadlock Plastics put the finishing touches on the parts, including the custom three-color paint job that features Ferno's signature red.
"Our thermoset composites material delivered the requested weight reduction without sacrificing strength, which was critical to Ferno," says Greg Woerth, TCG account manager, in a press release. "In addition, due to the strength and durability of thermoset composites, the iN∫X legs and arms will create a longer life for the product."
The teamwork that TCG brought to this project validates the "comprehensive solutions approach we envisioned when forming The Composites Group," adds Terry Morgan, CEO. "The drive to replace traditional manufacturing materials with superior-performing, high-strength, low-density composites continues to create new opportunities in myriad industries. With our complementary skills, technologies, and manufacturing capabilities, TCG is well-positioned to assist and respond," says Morgan.
