Ideas for 3D printing for PPE
Whilst as an organisation we are moving towards mass manufacturing visors with die-cut plastic, 3D printing has made a huge difference in the community during this crisis.
We have pulled together a couple of resources below to help you support your community with 3D printing.
Ear Savers
Ear savers can be attached to material face masks to ease discomfort in prolonged wear. These can be printed quickly and will be most welcome to front line workers who need to wear a
face mask every day.
Design: Follow this link or search for “Surgical_Mask_Strap_Remix.stl”
Hands-Free Door Openers
These are attachments to door handles to enable elbow/forearm operation to minimise contact (mostly appropriate for office style doors).
Design: a number of free designs can be downloaded from the following link depending on type of door handle in place
After Printing
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We recommend you bag up your finished prints individually, seal and leave in ‘quarantine’ for 5 days before distributing
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Alternatively (if there’s a rush), printed materials can be dipped in isopropanol and air-dried
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All materials should be touched as little as possible when packing before distribution
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We recommend sending with an assembly manual which shows end-user how to wear, and instructions on re-use
How do I distribute my finished prints?
We have been distributing to health care organisations such as care homes, GPs, pharmacies and, more recently, primary schools as these reopen. You can try to approach organisations yourself and offer your products to them.
Alternatively, some other organisations you can contact to help you distribute your products nearby and further afield include:
You can still reach out to us with questions/technical support if you try any of the new designs -
we now have an amazing community of 3D printers.