Recently, Y Soft’s team in the Czech Republic came together to address the lack of PPE in hospitals. Adapting a previous design, the team created plastic face shields. The shields are now being used throughout hospitals in the Czech Republic, Spain, and the UK.
Using YSoft be3D eDee printers in the Czech offices, the Y Soft team plans to continuously increase production capacity, while also adapting the shield design to incorporate feedback from hospital staff. Other Y Soft offices around the world are exploring opportunities to replicate the shields and provide them to healthcare facilities in their regions.
The shield uses a sheet of plastic that sits just off the wearer’s face, which is inserted into a 3D printed frame and is secured around the head with an elastic strap. These plastic sheets can be removed and disposed of so, instead of having to discard the whole piece of equipment, the 3D-printed headframe can be sanitized and reused. The shields can be used by medical staff when N95 type face masks are not available or when the health care workers are not in direct contact with patients, such as in laboratories and other areas of medical facilities. The shields can also be used in addition to the N95s for added protection.
Y Soft is building a supply chain for these from scratch, with other companies also volunteering time and material. The support from other manufactures in Czechia will help them satisfy the requests for over 9,000 shields from more than 200 health care facilities.
They have delivered over 1200 pieces in just one week and expect to be able to provide thousands by the end of next week.
SOURCE Y Soft
