Batch of face shields made with 3D printer to be sent south to NHS

One more slightly high-tech way Steven Moar has been helping out, though, is by making plastic face shields for the NHS using a 3D printer.

He works at the NAFC Marine Centre in Scalloway and he took the printer from the college with him when he had to work from home.

Steven, whose wife works in the A&E at the Gilbert Bain Hospital, said he is “just trying to do his bit to help”.

The masks are not actually needed in Shetland, but a batch of 50 will be sent to the mainland for distribution.

The 3D printer has been used to create the plastic headband, with the clear visor than added on.

“When all this Covid-19 started and we had to work from home the idea was that I could start printing while getting on with some work,” Steven said.

“I had a few issues with the printer and the time it took to print but I worked out the issues and got the mask print time down from just over three hours to one hour and 15 minutes.

“I’m just trying to do my bit to help – my wife works for the NHS in A&E so with her working and the two kids at home we have to try and use the time productively.”

The NAFC Marine Centre said the printer had recently been bought as joint project between its engineering department and Shetland College’s computing department with funding from the digitalXtra fund.

Watch a video of the 3D printer in action below.

https://www.facebook.com/NAFCMarineCentreUHI/posts/2598920346879506?__cft__[0]=AZVN06xpba078wyWdo3SBqDffXbmCUvoeA73OlTWRfIj9u6KjqgWXRTdydzIb1Ph1CS5-NO-yj8QuLrquGAWdswylvqs4V8AM9_oA3eKtnHs6UJNVELD9Hjo14gDwnI0KH-kkRbFkWmrY1yU-h5zv0r2GNKtuShVAgXtCdwatcvBajlf8ndZG1ulXprIVAFy4Ws&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R