That's why we are urging anybody who has access to a 3D Printer to join us in working with the National 3D Printing Society to print these face shields. They feel like sitting ducks, and it could just be a matter of time before they too become infected. Nurses and doctors report that they are working in environments with a high risk of contamination. When someone with coronavirus coughs, they breathe out tiny droplets of water that carry the virus into the air. That's why we would like you to join us in a network of people and businesses who are 3D printing vital protective equipment components. Stuck inside our homes, many of us feel angry and frustrated, desperate to help but powerless to do anything about it. Doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff simply do not have the basic equipment to keep themselves, and their patients, safe. Over the last few weeks, we've all seen the shocking news about shortages of protective equipment in health care services. Together as a community of engineers and makers we can all make a real difference. We are calling on everybody who has access to a 3D printer to join us in supporting the National 3D Printing Society's initiative to produce and distribute PPE to frontline medical staff as they continue to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. We are one community, supporting each other in facing the same challenges from COVID-19.ĭo you have a 3D Printer? You can help us to fight COVID-19! The community spirit and resolve to help has been a huge positive during this time, and we continue to urge people to produce emergency equipment for frontline healthcare workers wherever it’s needed. We would like to thank everybody who has been involved in the initiative to-date, including members of the DesignSpark engineering platform. The focus for RS Components and DesignSpark now moves towards supporting health-care workers from across the globe. This will enable 3D printing solutions to step up again in the UK as and when needed. RS Components will continue to work with the Office for Product Safety and Standards to clarify guidance, specifically around the inclusion of heat testing in the CE Marking process and the liability for volunteer groups. The increased number of injection moulding companies now producing large quantities is helping to ensure that the demand within the UK will be supported. Whilst not all of the visors will be heading to the UK frontline workers as originally intended, they will still be helping to save lives across the world and that is no small achievement. MedSupplyDrive UK has been a key partner in the initiative, alongside igus, RS Components, ByBox, the Gap Partnership, SHIELD and the Nottinghamshire Community Foundation. RS and igus are also working to explore support for other initiatives in Africa and Moldova respectively.Īny remaining funds from the £14,472 crowdfunded for the N3DPS campaign, are being donated to MedSupplyDrive UK, an organisation run by volunteer NHS doctors and medical students to purchase PPE for frontline workers.
With thousands of assembled visors remaining within the National 3D Printing Society’s network which have not cleared the new guidelines set by the government, these will instead be diverted to countries outside of the EU that are able to use them, working with the Red Cross. This, coupled with a recent UK Government guidance document which required some significant changes to be made to current processes being used by voluntary organisations, has led to many initiatives pausing or ending production completely.
RS Components now has PPE Class I certified face shields in stock and available for free next working day delivery, along with a host of other vital equipment including disposable face masks.Īs a result, there has been a significant reduction in the demand for auxiliary PPE prints. Stock levels of traditional PPE are also returning around the UK. Injection moulding not only produces the visors in larger quantities but also increases product consistency and quality.
This period of support through 3D printing has enabled injection moulding companies around the UK to get up and running, who are now producing thousands of visors each day, using a much more efficient and sustainable method of manufacturing. Collectively these groups have helped to ensure that over 250,000 visors have been produced in just two months.
Thousands of volunteers, schools and businesses across the UK have supported not only this initiative but many others, including 3D Crowd UK and Makers 4 the NHS. The National 3D Printing Society initiative to print PPE has now officially ended.ģD printing has played a key role in the UK, helping to keep medical staff and key workers safe since the start of the COVID-19 crisis.