Liberty Science Center is temporarily closed, but we’re still working to help our community during this challenging time.

Rob Dailey, the manager of LSC’s MakerLab, used 3D printers to create 50 face shields to be delivered to health care providers. These face shields—made of 3D-printed headbands and transparency sheets, like those used in overhead projection—will be used by medical staff having one-on-one direct contact with patients.

The sheets can easily be cleaned with soap and water, and are entirely reusable.

Approximately three hours of work go into the construction of each face shield, representing a total of 150 hours of 3D printing.

It is a busy time for makers, who are using their technology, inventiveness, and skills to assist medical staff during the coronavirus pandemic. Rob’s design was a modification of a design from Protohaven, which is a collaborative effort with other makers across the globe.

“I am a medical military veteran,” Rob said. “We were taught to ‘improvise, adapt, and overcome.’ The maker community is a group of people embodying that right now. We all have the ability to help save lives if we really put our minds to it. By making these face shields, I may just make sure someone goes home to their family.”

You, too, can help medical staff, by working with an organization like Medshare in Secaucus, which coordinates donations of unused, unexpired medical surplus supplies and used biomedical equipment. Click here for more information.

But of course, you can also help by following the CDC’s advice – practice social distancing.

3D printing,  health,  MakerLab