3D printing FACE SHIELD headband for coronavirus pandemia

Dear friends!

I decided to reactivate my blog to put some important information about 3D printing of a face shield headband, which became a serious issue during pandemia caused by coronavirus (COVID-19).

My brother's friend - a doctor working in my city hospital in Gdańsk, Poland, asked him to figure out a way to make face shield needed for those who fight with coronavirus. Faceshields are not available right now and can not be bought even by hospitals.

My brother Kamil Woronowski STEELSTIGMA made a research yesterday and it occured that such supporting actions are already started around the world and free, ready to print 3D models are available.

He checked some popular 3D model which he was able to print on his small printer, but after tests:

- it didn't work good,

- was complicated to make (additional bands were needed),

- took long time to make.

He made his own 3D model which we tested and decided that it works better for us: fits better as and is faster to make which is really important right now. Main improvement in the model is adding a nose support so the headband doesn't slides down, which was a problem in other headbands we tested. It holds really good even without a band/strap in the back, but it can be added.

He put the model and template to make a faceshield from A4 transparent foil. You can find it here:
grabcad.com/library/simple-face-shield-headband-1
or here
www.thingiverse.com/thing:4236119



I am copying my brother's  description for the 3D model.
READ BELOW. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.

Simple face shield headband for fast and easy print. No need for additional strap to mount it (but rubber band can be added on the back if you prefer more tight fit), model with additional support that lays on your nose to prevent the shield from slipping down.

Holes cutout template for shield is provided in .pdf and .svg format. Cutout template can be printed on normal printer, A4 format, and laid down on stiff transparent foil. "X" marked can be cut with normal knife along the lines.

I highly recommend reading this article by Josef Průša on the face shield subject:
https://blog.prusaprinters.org/from-design-to-mass-3d-printing-of-medical-shields-in-three-days/#_ga=2.268400777.649007789.1584864998-1448449153.1584864998

And also if you prefer you could use Josef Průša face shield headband model, which is more advanced and had been tested way more than mine:
https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/25857-protective-face-shield-rc1

I have done my model from scratch but I did look up how the design could be solved from this model:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4159366

Also, this is not a replacement for medical face shield! You can print this for our own use and on your own risk! 3D printed parts are not meant to be re-used or sterilized!

I have printed this on Cetus MK II from PLA, with 0,6mm nozzle, 0,4mm layer height in 32 minutes. Any nozzle will do, but there are no importand detials so bigger nozle will shorten printing time.

If you have a 3D printer you can check if there is a need for face shields in your area or you can use it yourself. As far as I know it is needed right now in all the countres, probably besides China, which is for sure the biggest producer of face shields.

Below are my pictures for the headbands we tested and our first prototypes which will be now tested in the 'battlefield' right now. I will update when something new come up.

Here is a short tutorial showing how to make a faceshield from A4 transparent cover which many of us uses for documents and can be found in every office, but you can use other transparent materials such as plastic PET bottle. Template for holes to be downloaded with use of links above.

Jeżeli ktoś z okolic Trójmiasta i nie tylko ma ochotę pomóc w temacie drukowania przyłbic i nie tylko dla personelu medycznego w naszych okolicznych szpitalach to zapraszam do dedykowanej grupy na Facebooku:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/595161834675622/

Warto również przeczytać ten artykuł.  Chyba pierwsza akcja w Polsce tego typu.
Dla tych co posiadają ploter laserowy polecam ten Trójmiejski projekt