High school, college students create face shields for healthcare workers with 3D printing
LAUREL, Md. (ABC7) — Marymount University professor Dr. Eric Bubar has turned his Laurel apartment into a production facility.
"I have three printers constantly running 24 hours a day. I can do about 100 maybe in two to three days," he said.
Bubar is using 3D printers to make critically needed face shields for medical workers in this area and around the country.
For weeks the physics professor has been printing the plastic brackets that hold the shields.
"This is exactly what 3D prints and what I like about it is it doesn't need extra hardware," he said.
Volunteer EMT and emergency department scribe Eric Malani is part of Bubar's team.
"I personally have produced about 60 so far and we're working from home every day," said Malani.
The biology student at Marymount who once 3D printed prosthetics is now making face shields.
"Basically it just fits over somebody's face like this, then they would wear a mask underneath," he said.
Prince William County student Thomas Byrne has 500 orders to fill over the next few weeks. The 16-year-old has a friend whose sister works at UVA Health in Charlottesville.
"Since she's part of the actual COVID team there, she had asked for face shields," the Forest Park High School senior said.
So Byrne and his friend Desmen Boykin went to work and say they'll keep going until medical workers have what they need.
"Until then we'll continue getting as much as we can done and making as big of an impact as we can," he said.
"We want to help people and we're able to do that," said Bubar.
If you have a 3D printer and would like to produce face shields or make a financial donation to support the effort click on the links below.
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