3D printed face shields

Overview

Face shields are used by health care professionals to protect them when working with patients. Hospital supplies are running low. While they prefer to use commercially manufactured ones, in this emergency they are looking for alternative sources.

These shields are made on a 3D printer. If you have a 3D printer, you can make these. We have several at Maker Nexus that will be running as long as we have supplies. We need volunteers come in to service the printing. We also need volunteers to assemble the final shields. We will deliver them to local hospitals.

Other COVID Projects

Donate via Paypal to support COVID-19 response efforts by Maker Nexus. ​ ​

Is there really a need?

• We've heard from friends that "nurses are cutting up plastic soda bottles to make face shields, using saran wrap on top of N95 masks to allow for multi-use."
• One local nurse said they are making face shields from cut up shower curtains and hot glue guns.

In reviewing the current design: "The nurses were over the moon about how easily the shields can be disassembled and sterilized."

We are ramping up to make 1,000 a week, maybe more.

If your health care facility needs face shields, fill in this form:

We Need Face Shields

3D Print Parts At Home

Use Your 3D Printer for good

Sign up

We are establishing a network of 3D printer owners who can make the headbands for us. You make them and deliver them to our facility where we do the assembly and get them to the hospitals. If you want to be part of our network, fill in this form and we will contact you:

I want to help

Report your progress

If you've signed-up and started printing already:

Keep us updated with your print progress.

Please request permission to access the file if you're prompted to, and we'll respond as quickly as we can.

What to do with the finished product

When you have parts ready to deliver, please follow the following steps:

1. Seal in plastic bag.
2. Label bag with version of face shield you printed, the material printed with (Currently RC2v1 is the most up to date part) and the date you closed the bag.
3. Mail to

Maker Nexus
234 E. Carribean Drive
Sunnyvale, CA 94089

OR Deliver to us if you are local and it does not violate the Shelter In Place Order - please do not make a special trip for this - but if you are passing by on your way to get essential groceries and want to drop it off, that is acceptable - there is a box outside our front door where donated parts can be placed.

Please be sure you are following proper sanitation procedures when you bag parts - if possible, wear gloves and a breathing mask, wipe or spray with disinfectant if available. We want to minimize the chance of cross-contamination. After it reaches MN, we will be further disinfecting them before delivering to its end destination.

We are not in a position to supply you with filament. If we are successful at raising more money for this program, then we might be able to give you a new reel when you drop off 20 face shield sets.

3D Print Directions

Materials

PETG filament Sources

These face shields are best done with PETG filament. A 1kg spool can make about 20 units.

• Matter Hackers
  • 3mm product id # MF3CF7NH 1kg about $25
  • 1.75mm product id # M3MY2VQG 1kg about $24 (only $20 each if you buy 5)
  • 1.75mm product id # MTVEPT25 10 pounds (4.5kg) about $185 It is a higher quality PETG filament, but is it really worth the extra cost?

PETG Sheet Sources

One 48x96 inch sheet can make about 24 shields.

• Piedmont Plastics in San Leandro, CA. .020x48x96 CLR VIVAK PETG JFM about $16/sheet.

Instructions

Printer Settings

Print with PETG for ease of sanitation - IPA, Hydrogen Peroxide, Bleach, and Acetic Acid up to 10% can all be safely used with PETG.

Print settings:

• Temperature based on filament selection.
• 3 perimeters
• 100% infill
• 0.3mm Draft settings in PrusaSlicer work fine
• we are running our Prusa's at 130% speed

Parts

We are focusing production on the Prusa RC2 headband currently, based on feedback from medical professionals. If your printer is large enough to print the RC2 design, PLEASE switch production to that. If your printer cannot accommodate that, RC1 pieces are still helpful. See below for details on each.

RC2 : (PREFERRED) : Prusa STL file

Pre-arranged to print 2 at one time.

• Prusa RC2 (x2) STL File

For other arrangements, here's the original Prusa design page.

Gcode files

Direct gcode files for common printers (WIP):

• Prusa MK3S (Right click and select "Save link as". Then save as type ".gcode" -- instead of .txt -- before printing!):
  • RC2(x2) / PETG
  • RC2(x2) / PLA

RC1 : Older Prusa RC1 STL file

Pre-arranged to print 3 at one time.

• Prusa RC1 (x3) STL File

For other arrangements, here's the original Prusa design page.

Laser Cut Parts

• The SVG file for laser cutting the shield part SVG File

The shields are cut from 0.020 inch thick PETG sheets. Our base design fits into sheets of 24"x32". If we get donations of larger sheets, then we cut it down before using it.

Elastic Band

Each shield uses approximately 8 inches of button hole elastic, 3/4 inch wide.

Sources

• Home Sew

Assembly

Assembly requires about 8" of 3/4 wide button hole elastic.

• Prusa RC2 STL- On this page

Help at MN

At this time we do not need volunteers in the makerspace itself. The space is on lockdown so that we do not introduce the virus into our work area.

Donations Needed

• PETG filament is useful - if you aren't able to print yourself. Any color in both 1.75mm and 3mm diameter filament. It should be in a factory sealed box or in a bag with desiccant.
• 3/4"-1" button hole elastic
• 0.020" thick PETG film for disposable masks, sheets or rolls

You can drop-off the donations at Maker Nexus, just leave it in the box by the front door of Maker Nexus. Please use appropriate procedures when packaging - including wearing a new pair of gloves and a face mask if available.

You can also donate via PayPal towards COVID-19 efforts that Maker Nexus is working on. Donate via Paypal to support COVID-19 response efforts by Maker Nexus.

Who to contact

MN members join the #covid-faceshield channel on Slack

External Links

Information & Discussions

- External slack for Prusa Shield discussions

Status

Capacity

• 5 Prusa 3D printers
  • 1.75mm PETG
  • each can make 8 shields a day
• 4 other type
  • 3mm PETG
  • each can make 3 a day
• 4 other type 2
  • 3mm PETG
  • each can make 3 a day
• Remote print capability
  • What is our current capacity in the community? We are working that out now - so many people are volunteering!
• 3 Laser cutters
  • The shields cut quickly and we are only limited by material sourcing
• Assembly is very quick, we can easily keep up

Supplies

As of 3/23/2020 1:15PM

• We have 1.75mm PETG reels to last through this week
• We are out of 3mm PETG and have more on order
• By the end of the day we will have enough PETG sheeting to make about 4,500 face shields
• We have 30 yards of button hole elastic, only enough for 135 face shields.

Summary

• If we have enough material we can make at least 65 face shields a day as of 3/23/2020.
• We currently have about 85 ready to be assembled (3/23/2020 1:15pm)
  • We are waiting for final approval on the actual shield design from our health care provider partner.