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.

The headband portion of these shields is 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 deliver them to local hospitals.

• Sign up to use your own 3D printer to help
• Sign up to receive face shields for your health care facility

In the News

• A TV segment from KPIX
• Watch a short KTVU news report about our efforts.

How much do they cost?

​We give these away, paying for them from donations. We do not sell them. Promises of donations or actual donations do not affect who is prioritized to receive the PPE. The allocation team is not told who has donated. However, they cost us about $5 each to make. Donations are critical for us to be able to keep producing. We will make them until the money runs out.

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."
• A nurse from Marin called us and I got her hooked into the allocation process and told her they were free. She started crying on the phone. - JimS

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

How do I get some?

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

My Facility Needs Face Shields (click the link)

A link to Other COVID Projects

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 make them

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. Fill out this form with information about your donation (so we can track inventory)
2. Seal in plastic bag.
3. Label bag with your email, the version of face shield you printed (e.g. "MN 1.3" see releases in parts below; or "RC2" if you used that), the material printed with and the date you closed the bag.
4. 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 with some modification to reduce weight and center the mounting pins, based on feedback from medical professionals. If your printer is large enough to print this design, PLEASE switch production to that. If your printer cannot accommodate that, RC1 pieces are still helpful. See below for details on each.

RC2 + MakerNexus extensions (PREFERRED)

The MakerNexus modifications are on github. Easiest is to download the release at https://github.com/hzeller/prusa-covid19-shield-remix/releases (latest is v1.3 from 2020-03-28 noon)

This archive contains (next to the source files) the following files used used to print, which you also can download here:

• Ready-to-go: normal_shield_0.3mm_PETG_MK3S.gcode GCode for MK3S printer for PETG 0.3mm, 3 shells, 100% infill; printing two headbands. This places two headbands and two bottom supports on the bed. You can use this directly in your Prusa MK3/MK3S printer. Using print-speed of 130% on the Prusa seems to work fine.
• modify print parameters normal_shield.3mf 3MF file to load in slicer. Places two headbands with bottom braces on the bed, lets arrange yourself and change printing parameters. Contains support-material setup.
• slice yourself normal_shield_with_support.stl The STL file. It already contains integrated supports for the pins, no support needs to be enabled in your slicer. If the built-in supports look like they are 'hovering', enable 'thin wall detection' in your slicer. The file named normal_shield_no_support.stl does not have supports if you want to use your slicer to do support.

Other Versions

Instead of Prusa RC2 or RC3, please use the version above, as it contains changes we got as feedback from our local healthcare community.

We're working on a stacked version that prints reliably, but if you want/need to print stacked, as an exception to the above, you can use the Prusa 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 and Disassembly

Assembly

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

• A short video on how to assemble the Maker Nexus face shield version RC2

• The original design Prusa RC2 STL- On this page

Each box of face shields contains a QR Code that links to Covid-19 Shield User Instructions

Disassembly for cleaning

These face shields can be taken apart for cleaning.

The sheets are made of PETG and can handle alcohol and UV. The head band and spreader could be made of PETG, ABS, or PLA. These all resist alcohol but are heat sensitive. We are not experts in how to sanitize equipment. You, as user, take responsibility for appropriate sanitization. See this page from Prusa Research for information on sanitization methods currently being tested.

A short video on how to take the Maker Nexus face shield apart

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

If you don't have access to Slack, please email faceshields@makernexus.org

External Links

Information & Discussions

- External slack for Prusa Shield discussions

Status

As of 3/29/2020

• We have 15 3D printers at Maker Nexus and 205 printers at homes through out the community.

• We have enough 0.020/0.030 PETg sheets to make about 4000 more shields. This is hard to buy now and we are testing alternatives.

• We have enough filament to keep our printers running and are buying more. Our preferred filament is now on back order and we are sourcing directly from China.

• We are exploring injection molding for the head bands. This may take some time.

• We have shipped over 650 face shields. Yea! That is what it's all about.