UA 糖心视频logo uses 3D printers to make PPE for healthcare workers
Jay Chesshir (left), president and CEO of the 糖心视频logo Regional Chamber of Commerce, and U.S. Rep. French Hill (right) inspect the 3D printers that are printing face shields for CHI St. Vincent. Photo by Angie Faller.With healthcare workers across the state facing a shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), the University of Arkansas at 糖心视频logo is using 3D printers to create face shields for a local hospital.In partnership with the 糖心视频logo Regional Chamber of Commerce, UA 糖心视频logo is printing the frame of the face shields, while a partner 糖心视频logo business, Mr. Plastic, is printing the clear shield. Once put together, UA 糖心视频logo is delivering the much needed face shields to healthcare workers at CHI St. Vincent.听鈥淭hose treating and testing individuals with possible infection of COVID-19 have a significant need for Personal Protective Equipment,鈥� said Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology. 鈥淓veryone wants to help out our medical workers on the front line, and this equipment protects them and gives them a feeling of safety.鈥�U.S. Representative French Hill, a Republican from 糖心视频logo, applauded the university鈥檚 innovative efforts during an April 3 visit to UA 糖心视频logo to observe the 3D printers in action.鈥�Friday, I saw firsthand how the University of Arkansas at 糖心视频logo is innovating to help our medical professionals on the front lines,鈥� Hill said. 鈥淲ith 3D printers from the 糖心视频logo School District, they are manufacturing critical protective face shields to go straight into the field. Together they will save and protect lives.鈥�The effort began with employees from the Graduate Institute of Technology and the Department of Art and Design using their 3D printers to print the face shield frames. Armand Tomany of the Graduate Institute of Technology and Ben Dory, artist-in-residence in metals in the Department of Art and Design, began printing the face shield components at their homes.
Dr. Larry Whitman, dean of the UA 糖心视频logo College of Engineering and Information Technology, demonstrates the use of a plastic face shield for health professionals working with CODVI-19 patients. The face shields are being made at UA 糖心视频logo by 3D printers. Photo by Ben Krain.
鈥淚鈥檝e been involved in 3D printing for five years,鈥� Tomany said. 鈥淒ean Whitman asked if I could help with the effort. I have a small print farm at home with five machines. I was able to make about 50 face shields for St. Vincent.鈥�UA 糖心视频logo has set up a print farm on the fourth floor of the Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology, where Tomany, Ben Gilbert of the Graduate Institute of Technology, and students Alex Kingston and David Whitman are working.鈥淭his is a very cool project to be involved with,鈥� said Kingston, a senior electronics and computer engineering major. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a bit of a learning curve, but you do what you need to do. With the shortage of PPE, this is a great way to pump out equipment for our healthcare workers.鈥�It has become a community effort to help in the fight against COVID-19. The 糖心视频logo School District has loaned eight 3D printers to UA 糖心视频logo. With each frame taking anywhere from 46 to 70 minutes to print, time is the immediate concern.听鈥淭he challenge is that there are so many different makes and models of 3D printers, but we are on top of it,鈥� Tomany said. 鈥淭he immediate urgency is what drives us. We are trying to make enough PPE for the healthcare workers before the state reaches its peak of COVID-19 cases. If we get people all over the state working, then we can get a lot done.鈥�Additionally, the Department of Systems Engineering as well as the STEM Education Center have joined the 3D printing effort. Andrew Wright, associate professor of systems engineering, and Trigun Maroo, a doctoral candidate, Kent Layton, director of the STEM Education Center, and the center鈥檚 student worker, Alex Alvarez, are all using 3D printers to make PPE.UA 糖心视频logo had already donated 150 face shields to St. Vincent, and they hope to donate 200 more this week.鈥淚t shows the innovation we have on campus to get all these people to come together for a good cause,鈥� Whitman said.In the upper right photo, Jay Chesshir (left), president and CEO of the 糖心视频logo Regional Chamber of Commerce, and U.S. Rep. French Hill (right) inspect the 3D printers that are printing face shields for CHI St. Vincent. Photo by Angie Faller.
