Cair - Asthma Inhalers for Emergencies

Why did I make this?

I've had Asthma since childhood, and the idea of not having access to my inhaler at the time of emergency has been my biggest nightmare.

“Cair” is for anybody fighting Asthma, or a caregiver, family or friends of an Asthmatic patient.

I designed “Cair” by simplifying the inhaler casing mechanism, keeping it as simple as possible such that it is easily replicable and accessible to everyone.

The need for this product is illustrated through the images.

Disclaimer

“Cair”, is not intended for everyday prescribed use and is not meant to be a replacement for your inhaler, since it is relatively not as efficient. It should be used as the final resort during an emergency only when the external casing is not available. Hopefully, you will never have to use it.

How to make it?

There are two distinct designs for Cair based on the same working principle, one being compatible with laser-cutting and the other being compatible with 3D-printing.

For Laser Cutting

• 4 mm thick acrylic sheet (market standard)

You can use a single sheet of acrylic or two different sheets of varying colors, depending on how you want it to look. I used a black sheet and a transparent sheet.

• Anabond instant cure adhesive to stick the two parts together.

You can choose any instant adhesive that works well with plastics.

• Tissue Paper

To wipe off any extra adhesive.

For 3D Printing

• Sandpaper (grits 100 to 600), at least 3.

For finishing the 3D print.

• Needle

To clear out the holes if blocked with residue after 3D-printing.

For Laser Cutting

The attached files include:

• LC_Cair_DXF.dxf

.dxf file; most widely used file format for laser cutting.

• LC_Cair_Vector.ai

Adobe illustrator vector file, just in case you want to make some changes to the design.

• LC_Cair_RLD.rld

.rld file; I used the software RD Works to laser cut. This file has all the configurations saved..

For 3D Printing

The attached files include:

• 3DP_Cair_STL.stl

.stl file; most widely used file format for 3D printing.

• 3DP_Cair_SW.prt

Solidworks part file, just in case you want to tweak the design a little or export to another file format.

• 3DP_Cair_3MF.3mf

.3mf file; 3D Manufacturing format.

For Laser Cutting

Make sure that,

• The dimensions are scaled exactly according to the specifications. Especially, the diameter of the holes must remain 3 mm for the top plate and 1 mm for the bottom plate otherwise the inhaler would cease to function.

The diameter of the hole of the top plate needs to be the same as the diameter of the canister's nozzle tip which, in my case, is 3 mm. If it tends to differ for you, feel free to tweak it accordingly. (for ex; Diameter of the nozzle's tip = 4 mm, then the diameter of the hole on the top plate should also be 4 mm.)

• Select all the geometry to cut or scan in the laser cutting software. As demonstrated in this case, the lines in black are meant to be cut and the lines in red are meant to be scanned (etched).

• Power and speed settings are illustrated through the screenshots, but feel free to customize it to achieve the desired output.

For 3D Printing

Make sure that,

• The dimensions are scaled exactly according to the specifications. Especially, the diameter of the holes must remain 3 mm on the top and 1 mm on the bottom otherwise the inhaler would cease to function.

The diameter of the hole of the top needs to be the same as the diameter of the canister's nozzle tip which, in my case, is 3 mm. If it tends to differ for you, feel free to tweak it accordingly. (for ex; Diameter of the nozzle's tip = 4 mm, then the diameter of the hole on the top plate should also be 4 mm.)

• I printed in PLA, But you can use any plastic.

• We want to achieve a strong model with a surface finish as fine as possible, capturing the most intricate details. My suggestion would be to configure the settings for 100% infill, slower speed and minimum layer height.

The more time the printer spends printing it, the lesser time you will have to spend finishing it.

For Laser Cutting

Both the Top and Bottom plates are first held together, and then instant cure adhesive is applied from the sides (3-4 drops are advisable), Excess glue that seeps out should be wiped clean.

Test it by passing running water through it to check the hole clearance.

For 3D Printing

Begin with a low (100 - 200) grit, sanding away at the bumpy striations and any raft or support material left behind. Depending on the size and geometry of your part, you’ll most likely be stuck in the 100 - 300 grit range for a while to smooth out striations and support remains. Once layering and striations are less prevalent, move through higher grits (400 - 600) to achieve a smooth surface.

Patience is key when sanding PLA.

Use a needle to clear out the holes of any residue within them.

Test it by passing running water through it to check the hole clearance.

Please make sure that canister nozzle always points downwards while using the inhaler.

Thank you for your time and hope this was helpful.