New 3D printed air filter keeps the air clean inside cars and public transportation
The AMS Auto device is an air filter system that eliminates viruses and bacteria in subways, cars, and buses
Eliminating airborne active viruses inside cars, vans, trains or buses is now possible. FICEPS3 (FICEP Steel Surface Systems S.L. – Barcelona, Spain) developed an innovative air filter system prototype made with the help of additive manufacturing technologies (3D printing). Just to give you a clue, the AMS Auto is capable of sterilizing the air and getting rid of more than 95% of viruses, bacteria, and microorganisms. Would you like to know more about this invention? Keep reading this article to know how this air filter device works.
AMS Auto, for virus-free means of transport
Although the pandemic seems to be more “under control”, there are still many people who NEED to use public transportation. Besides, for obvious reasons, those who work as drivers need a safe environment too. Facing this scenario, FICEPS3 decided to create an air filtering device adapted to closed means of transport in general.

AMS Auto ensures that the air inside vehicles remains sterile and clean of viruses and microorganisms. The model incorporates two USB ports for charging batteries and four attachment points that can be attached to different parts of the vehicle, such as the back of the seat. Its design is small and has an airflow designed for the needs of private and public transportation, thus being one of the most affordable and powerful alternatives so far. The AMS Auto system can reduce the spread of viruses and microbes by filtering and sterilizing the air around us.
How does AMS Auto work?
It is an air sterilization system that removes volatile organic compounds before this air is expelled again through:
- A broad spectrum of sealed UVC light
- a photochemical process
Continuously and silently, the prototype filters the air and exposes it to a large amount of ultraviolet light, as well as a photochemical process to ensure sterilization. Just for the record: The structure fully contains the UV light inside, so it is not harmful to people.
In other words, a cyclical system processes the air, exposing it to as much UV light as possible before leaving the system so that the air coming out of the device is free from dangerous bacteria and microorganisms, deactivating viruses found in the environment, including aerosols that are processed in the air such as SARS-CoV-2.
3D printing technology to materialize the AMS Auto
To create the AMS Auto, the FICEPS3 team used the same additive manufacturing technology as with the AMS mini. They used the Multi Jet Fusion method from the manufacturer HP, using polyamide PA12 as printing material. This device has 3 different modes intended for different transportation scenarios. Hopefully in the near future, more initiatives just as innovative and useful as this one will emerge so that society can return to a “new normality” in a much safer way, in terms of health.
Nuno Neves, General Director at FICEPS3, comments the following:
“In today’s healthcare context, we believe that additive manufacturing is a fantastic tool for all those professionals in the service sector who use a vehicle to carry out their work. Taxis, train or subway cars, buses, ambulances, etc. They can now count on an air sterilization system capable of filtering the air and freeing it of viruses and bacteria ”.
Why is AMS Auto a good alternative to keep the clean air inside vehicles?
The idea of creating a device specifically for vehicles is precisely to be able to ensure the instant air filtration of the vehicle, offering up to ten filter speeds. At its full power, the AMS auto is capable of processing all the air inside a mid-size car in less than a minute.
For more comfortable use, the AMS auto has a filter status indicator that points out the current filter status and if a new one needs to be inserted. In turn, it also has an indicator that informs about the correct operation of the device or whether any maintenance action is necessary.
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