The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in critical shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies and equipment required for health care providers to safely care for COVID-19 patients. Due to this pandemic, and emergency declarations related thereto from local, state, and federal governments and international bodies, NC State University is undertaking efforts to support the health care providers to continue to safely care for its patients by assisting these health care providers in the or production of PPE.
Thank you for volunteering your 3D printing capabilities to support the fight against COVID-19. NC State University has been working closely with America Makes, the NC Government, and NC health care interests, while following FDA guidelines, to address the significant gap in the supply chain for personal protective equipment until our industrial partners are able to ramp up production. There are well over 100 individuals and multiple printers already signed up to help through this website. If each one of you makes one part per day, there will be a tremendous impact. If you are not yet signed up, please do so below.
The current, immediate need is for face shields. We have been collaborating with several healthcare organizations across the State in order to provide this PPE. These organizations will not be accepting any homegrown solutions from individuals. The risk is simply too high, but the need is also growing. In order to meet this need, we at NC State University have been asked to help manage the outpouring of support from the local maker/3D printing community. They have agreed that individuals can send consistently produced and clinically approved parts to NC State for quality control, inspection, and distribution. A key component of this will be consistency in 3D printing practices, materials, handling, distribution, and traceability.
If you would like to help by printing devices, we ask that you first sign up via the form below, and strictly comply with the following steps.
- Print only the attached “Budmen” face shield design in the exact orientation that has been provided. If you cannot provide all of the components (eg poly sheet) please provide those components that you can.
- PETG is the preferred filament material, but we will accept whatever you currently can provide.
- Use gloves and a facemask while handling and cleaning the devices
- Thoroughly clean the printed devices in hot soapy water and air dry on clean paper towels.
- Using gloves, place the device in a gallon-sized ziplock bag or equivalent
- Label the outside of the bag with a permanent marker using the following format
YYYY/MM/DD-Your Last Name-Your First Name-Number in Series
e.g. For the second part produced on April 2, 2020 the name is 2020/04/02-Doe-Jane-2
- Register the part using this google form. https://forms.gle/51geHNsBqjC5wc42A
Unregistered parts will not be accepted or distributed.
- Ship the part to:
3D Printing Volunteer Network
Rm. 3002, EB3
1840 Entrepreneur Dr.
Campus Box 7910
Raleigh NC 27695
If you are local to NC State campus, we have set up a dropbox by the front door of EB3 on Entrepreneur drive
By voluntarily participating in these activities and submitting these devices, you understand and are fully aware of the risks and hazards associated with such activities, including injuries associated with the handling of materials and the use of equipment during construction and assembly, and that you are voluntarily participating in reliance upon your own judgment and knowledge of experience and capabilities. You agree to assume full responsibility, and to hold NC State University, its trustees, officers, employees, and agents harmless, for any risk of loss, damage, illness or personal injury, and for any property damage that may be sustained by you as a result of you volunteering for these activities.
Please understand that due to a variety of factors and uncertainty, there is no guarantee that we will use or deliver your parts, or that the hospital procurement will accept them. We expect the industrial capacity to be meeting the demand within a few weeks. Thank you very much for your willingness to help your community in this time of need.