Harnessing creativity, technology and teamwork, Stony Brook’s iCREATE has stepped up to address a critical need in the current coronavirus crisis: the need for protective face shields.
“Anybody who’s been paying attention to the news understands that there’s a shortage of personal protective equipment for medical personnel,” said Charlie McMahon, Interim Senior Vice President of Information Technology and Enterprise CIO for Stony Brook University.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends full face shields for medical personnel to protect both themselves and their patients. During a meeting to discuss ways to support medical personnel during the COVID-19 crisis, Judith Greiman, Chief Deputy to the President and Senior Vice President for Government and Community Relations, mentioned an upstate New York company that was printing face shields on a 3D printer.
“She knew we had the iCREATE department here, and we have 3D printing capability,” said McMahon. “She showed me the article and asked, ‘Can we do this?’”
The answer to that challenge was “yes.” However, that didn’t mean the journey wouldn’t face hurdles.
“We’re trying to make face shields to help healthcare workers,” explained David Ecker, Director of iCREATE, an area within the Division of Information Technology with stakeholders in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences; College of Business; Integration of Research, Education and Professional Development Office; and Economic Development. “The challenge was figuring out how to use the 3D printers and the parts and materials that we had on hand to really go ahead and do this. So, what do we need to do?”
As Ecker soon discovered, what he needed to do first and foremost was get creative.
“We didn’t have all of the materials that we needed so we went to Home Depot and found some door insulation material,” he said. “That’s what we’re using for the forehead cushion. The plastic shield on the face mask is what you would typically use if you bound a folder for a presentation. It’s clear plastic. We had to go to Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft store to get the elastic. We found other things we needed at Staples. So we’re improvising here, but in the end it’s going to be an excellent, viable product for our medical professionals.”
With materials now in-hand, Ecker and his team immediately went to work crafting prototypes.
“When David got back to me and said, ‘Yes, we can do that’ — and by the way, when he sent me that message he was already wearing a prototype — that was really pretty cool,” said McMahon.
When the pictures were passed around a follow-up meeting the next morning, a collective cheer went up.
“At that point we knew we were doing something positive, helping protect the health of the medical professionals that are helping the community,” he added. “Being able to be part of that is a really good feeling.”
The first step of the process is coming up with a design, which is then loaded into the 3D printers. The material is passed through, slowly building up to the finished product.
“Once the plastic parts are made, we attach the headband to fasten around the back of your head,” explained Ecker. “We then attach the foam pad and elastic.” The end result is a device that protects both medical staff and patients.
It takes about four hours for one machine to make one face shield; Stony Brook has 20 machines that can be applied to this project at any given time.
“We think we can make 40 masks or faces shields a day,” said McMahon. “We have enough material right now to make 800, and we are in the process of procuring enough material to make 5,000 more.”
“iCREATE provides these facilities and services for students and faculty to really develop the next big idea and offers ‘next level’ service and out-of-the-box thinking,” added Ecker. “It’s okay to fail, as long as you’re ‘failing forward’.”
And this creativity and “freedom to innovate,” said Ecker, is exactly what the iCREATE lab is all about.
“To be honest, I’m both excited and nervous at the same time,” admitted Ecker. “I’m nervous about being outside with what’s going on in New York State and the world, but I’m excited to make a difference and to give back, and if this is something Stony Brook can do to give back, it’s worth what we’re doing.”
— Robert Emproto
Good job David and iCreate, we are proud of you!
Thank you
Good job
Thank you for your efforts
Thank you
This is so fantastic! If at some point you need help with assembly, please let me know. Putting together 800 masks cannot be easy. All I do is try to figure out how to make the best face masks out of cotton!
Thanks Ann. We will reach out. I appreciate your offer to help.
[…] we needed so we went to Home Depot and found some door insulation material,” he explained in a university article. “That’s what we’re using for the forehead cushion. The plastic shield on the […]
We use slits to allow user to put a wet wipe or kitchen roll as padding.
See here https://photos.app.goo.gl/SqZJrtFqpHx71Bnz6
Interesting idea. I like what you did with the Rubber bands and a holder. Is it comfortable?
Hi we do similar work in Wales Swansea University UK. Please contact me we have settings on Ultimaker to speed up to 1h. 0.6mm nozzle 0.4 layer hight.
Why did you feel you needed to cover the top opening? Prusa design leaves open. Are you concerned of the chimley effect? We need to learn from your experience as we just about to make hundreds of them and design must be safe.
We are working on 2 designs : 1) prusa 2) budmen
We have farms set up at homes with up to 5 printers each. Capacity to print 25-30 each farm per day.
Dimitris d.pletsas@swansea.ac.uk
[…] Across the nation, university innovation centers and engineering schools began to crank out much-needed equipment and gear. Missouri State University teamed up with a local hospital in Springfield, Missouri to develop a prototype for reusable face shields. Tennessee State University was using 3D printing machines to help design and make key components for face shields. So was Stony Brook University. […]
This is fantastic. How can we help?
As an SBU grad student and product designer we have no access to SBU campus anymore.
We are sewing cotton masks at home.
Marta – Thank you just sewing makes a difference. We appreciate all you do.
I have a makerbot at my school, I am not sure if I can get my hands on it, but if I could and was able to print out the PLA mask parts, could I bring them to SBU to donate for you guys to assemble and add to the stockpile?
The 3DVerkstan face shield design prints much, much faster. I can punch out two every 35 minutes on my printer. Might want to check it out. It is the current recommended design of NYC Makes PPE
Thank you. We will check it out.
Great Great work Team. My question is how can I get one. I am on Humira and Methotrexate and I am working in a facility that is processing meals for Island Harvest, Huntington Hospital. and various supermarkets and such.
With my Immune system suppressed I am very careful but still a
little scared because if I contract the virus I may not survive 6315758460 if there is any way I can obtain one and possibly for the whole of our staff here at JKings/ Crown1 Enterprises
Thank you
Thank you for your note. Someone from our team will email you soon.
David,
You and your iCREATE team are making a difference. There is a long way to go. Keep up the great work and thank you!!!
Thanks Rick. I appreciate your kinds words
Thank you. My niece is a respiratory therapist at stony brook
Your welcome, anything we can do to help our medical professionals.
I work at a residential home with developmentally disabled women. We could use some of these masks if you have any extra???? It would be so appreciated for a plethora of reasons
Carol. Thank you for your note. Someone from our team will email you soon.
Great job Dave and your team. Thank you for all your hard work.
Thank you for your kind words
Dear David, John and iCreate Team,
This is fantastic. Unfortunately, I am working fro home in Manhattan, but I wish I could be at the lab there to help the assembly. If there is anything I can do to help remotely, please let me know.
Nobuho,
Thanks so much for reaching out. We are all a team and just knowing you are supporting is all we need.
David
Well I had no doubt that iCreate lead by the most creative and driven individual I know Dave Ecker would be able to help.
If anyone at Stony Brook University was up for the challenge of course Dave Ecker was the go to guy. Dave and his group of staff and Students jumped into this project immediately and came up with a solution to help the staff at Stony brook Hospital stay protected.
Thank you Dave for all you are doing to help protect as many people as possible.
If there is anything Me and Franny can do to help you let us know we are always here for you and your family and of course our Stony brook Family.
Bob Ribaudo
Bob
Thank you for the nice words. This is a true team effort and by everyone all over Stony Brook University pitching in.
I know your support for all we do has been invaluable as we go through this crisis.
David
Can I purchase one my daughter in law works at monte fiore as a doctor and needs
Rita.
Thanks for your post. Joan.Dickinson@stonybrook.edu is coordinating with us for distribution. Please email us.
David
Hi! I am a registered nurse working at NYP Cornell in Manhattan… my unit is desperate for face shields we have only a few for 70+ of my co-workers and myself to share.. is there anyway you can help us out? I was born & raised in SB! Go seawolves!
That’s a great idea. We can use it in Mexico’s Federal Hospitals (Issste). We have had severe spreads of Coronavirus in between our medical and paramedical personnel and we have limited resources. Maybe I can use my 3d printer to build some masks for my workmates (it’s a tiny one, a Monoprice Select Mini with a bed of 10 * 10 cm, but the mask can be printed in segments, i think). I’m not an expert in designing but it’s worth the effort. Do you have a link for downloading STL files or intructions? Thank you. Truly yours, Gerardo Gallegos Ochoa.
Thanks for your post. Yes we posted everything at nyinnovate.com click on Face Shields.
Please let me know if you need more details, by us all doing something we can make a difference.
David
[…] and chemists have been producing face shields, masks, a prototype ventilator, and hand sanitizer (https://news.stonybrook.edu/sb_medicine/stony-brook-ingenuity-takes-on-coronavirus/). We have found a safe and effective way to sterilize used N95 respirators to further conserve PPE […]
[…] and chemists have been producing face shields, masks, a prototype ventilator, and hand sanitizer (https://news.stonybrook.edu/sb_medicine/stony-brook-ingenuity-takes-on-coronavirus/). We have found a safe and effective way to sterilize used N95 respirators to further conserve PPE […]
Dear David and the iCreate team, this is fantastic! I am wearing one of your face shields while caring for our COVID patients. And this makes me so proud to wear your shield and that we have all come together to help our patients, neighbors, friends and family.
Jeanwoo
That is awesome. I am so glad we could help. If possible, could you share a picture of you wearing it with us.
Thanks
David
This is fantastic. How can we help?
As an SBU grad student and product designer we have no access to SBU campus anymore.
[…] the University’s main campus, 3D face shields were printed as a PPE shortage was looming; hand sanitizer was created by several in Department of […]
That’s a great idea. We can use it in Mexico’s Federal Hospitals (Issste). We have had severe spreads of Coronavirus in between our medical and paramedical personnel and we have limited resources. Maybe I can use my 3d printer to build some masks for my workmates (it’s a tiny one, a Monoprice Select Mini with a bed of 10 * 10 cm, but the mask can be printed in segments, i think). I’m not an expert in designing but it’s worth the effort. Do you have a link for downloading STL files or intructions? Thank you. Truly yours, Gerardo Gallegos Ochoa. مشاوره تحصیلی
Great Great work Team. My question is how can I get one. I am on Humira and Methotrexate and I am working in a facility that is processing meals for Island Harvest, Huntington Hospital. and various supermarkets and such.