3D Printing 300 Face Shields… PER DAY

[Egg-Roll]

1 hour ago, SanityAgathion said:

Allow me to politely disagree. Finding FFP3/N95/whatever masks is nearly impossible right now, if you find those they are for vastly inflated prices and LMG is not big enough subject to be able to negotiate prices down. On top of that: hiring a person means there is one less person off of unemployment. Depending on their contract, LMG needs to pay government for that person, or that person needs to pay his/her own taxes and fees etc. Being hired means they have some income, which then goes towards buying things and services - and helping further down the line. Even if the job is just watching 30 printers, emptying plates, wiping them clean and clicking "reprint" - still better and much more meaningful than sitting home and collecting unemployment money.

All good points however the issue isn't the person being able to have a life again because of work. It's about how many they can help with the funds at hand. The N95 masks where just one part of my post. My post also pointed out other things they could do with their money raised from the tees. Like I said food banks and even donating it to places that actually produce N95 (charities name mentioned above) would go further than one person who could actually sit on gov funds. Typically I would agree with you on not sitting on gov funds, but reality is helping one person when their salary likely would feed at least 100 instead of 3-5 tops. Which one is the better option? The money that one person makes isn't going to help anyone but them and their immediate family which could be a spouse and 10 kids or only them, and depending how nice they are to their family maybethem too. During a pandemic as such which number looks better? The 100+ for the possible 15-25 with the majority going to likely 5 tops?

 

FYI the governments around the world currently don't give a flying f about making money so your tax defense is actually useless, they are focused on killing this thing as fast as possible, what Linus is also suggesting is adding an additional risk in the mix by hiring a person to come into work instead of staying home. The money they would make off of one person isn't going to help them really, but donating money/food to food banks or shelters or money to charities that have access to N95 masks, that is liquid gold with everyone at home w/o a job.

 

Not to mention if all funds are used on the persons salary and mask making they then have mislead the people who bought the shirts when they read this part:

"All profits from these t-shirts will be used to fund efforts around COVID-19 research" not to mention one could actually argue making shields isn't doing anything to actually help "relief in Canada", because those who want protection (esp the type like face shields) will likely have plenty in a few weeks tops, the biggest issue are N95 masks and food for those stuck on savings and gov funds. We need that kind of support more than face shields really in Canada. USA hell they need everything right now, but Canada? Unless they can print medical staff funds would be better spent else where in a few weeks. Hence no need to waste raised funds on a person, as the shields should be able to be sterilized and reused many times.

[BerenApJiriki]

Can we get an update on how many face shields you are up to and if you have managed to confirm if any have made it to the front line for actual use yet? And how many shirts you have sold so far to raise funds?

[AlexTheGreatish]

3 minutes ago, BerenApJiriki said:

Can we get an update on how many face shields you are up to and if you have managed to confirm if any have made it to the front line for actual use yet? And how many shirts you have sold so far to raise funds?

So far we've made about 1000 face shields and those were sent off to InkSmith for distribution.  After that run we ran out of PETG so we switched to making Ear Savers in PLA.  Donated 1000 of them to a local hospital on Wednesday, probably have another 1000 ready to go out soon.  We also have 375Kg of PETG in the mail and will resume printing face shields when that arrives.

[3vitor]

1 hour ago, AlexTheGreatish said:

" After that run we ran out of PETG so we switched to making Ear Savers in PLA."

Hey can you share the STL or the link of the file so I can also print it? I recently fixed my 3d printer and would like to help my local hospitals

[SanityAgathion]

1 hour ago, 3vitor said:

Hey can you share the STL or the link of the file so I can also print it? I recently fixed my 3d printer and would like to help my local hospitals

https://www.yeggi.com/q/ear+saver/

There's plenty of those if you look for ear saver. Best would be to consult with nurses you want to donate it to. People mostly print the NIH model, this one is also pretty popular as it uses fairly low amount of material and prints fast: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4251460

And here is even more interesting feedback from Facebook discussion in Prusa3D owners group: 

Quote

As a nurse, I like this one better. It clips on one side and adjusts on the other and doesn't get hung up on straps or hair like that version. Not struggling with the straps is important when you're trying to not contaminate yourself. It's faster to print and uses far less material as well. PLA is fine. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4264787

Hope it helps.

[3vitor]

6 minutes ago, SanityAgathion said:

quote

Yes it does! Thank you very much.

 

I'm currently printing a few versions that I also found on Thingiverse and then I'll print the one the nurse recommended.

 

Thingiverse used to be a little better to see which models were popular but now every model I find has 0 comments and 0 likes.

[SanityAgathion]

4 hours ago, Egg-Roll said:

not to mention one could actually argue making shields isn't doing anything to actually help "relief in Canada", because those who want protection (esp the type like face shields) will likely have plenty in a few weeks tops,

I do not know situation in Canada, but here in Czech Republic it's already been "few weeks tops" since Prusa Research retooled portion of their 3D printing farm to spit out face shields instead of plastic parts for printers. It was supposed to be stop-gap measure to make few thousand shields until injection molding companies catch up. After 3+ weeks, 40k donated shields and another 120k waiting in warehouse to be transported, Josef got impatient and they invested their own money to have mold made because nobody else stepped up (much less from any governmental initiative). That's in a country with 10 million people, all these shields are being or will be used and re-used by medical personnel and related staff (nurses, EMTs, social workers, care givers ...). 

 

So much for "few weeks tops". PPE is extremely long run now.

 

I get it, You don't like the fact that Linus was inaccurate in statements as to how the money will be used, and you'd much rather see it going to some charity directly than supplementing role what should had been filled by governments and failed = providing proper amount of PPE to medical personnel. While promoting their own brand. 

[Egg-Roll]

1 hour ago, SanityAgathion said:

I do not know situation in Canada, but here in Czech Republic it's already been "few weeks tops" since Prusa Research retooled portion of their 3D printing farm to spit out face shields instead of plastic parts for printers. It was supposed to be stop-gap measure to make few thousand shields until injection molding companies catch up. After 3+ weeks, 40k donated shields and another 120k waiting in warehouse to be transported, Josef got impatient and they invested their own money to have mold made because nobody else stepped up (much less from any governmental initiative). That's in a country with 10 million people, all these shields are being or will be used and re-used by medical personnel and related staff (nurses, EMTs, social workers, care givers ...). 

 

So much for "few weeks tops". PPE is extremely long run now.

 

I get it, You don't like the fact that Linus was inaccurate in statements as to how the money will be used, and you'd much rather see it going to some charity directly than supplementing role what should had been filled by governments and failed = providing proper amount of PPE to medical personnel. While promoting their own brand. 

Maybe we will need them longer than I think, maybe not (me being always optimistic even tho it makes me look wrong sometimes, however some number the local govs have pulled out with such short timelines seem ridiculous, and half turning out to be as well), I genuinely don't know. However those shields if unused can be cheaply and easily shipped to the states who for the foreseeable future will need as much PPE as they can get. For your example was the government offering decent amounts of cash or other incentives? Because the sad reality is companies esp during this time are not going to run out and spend money on retooling for a loss or little profit.

 

If you think I don't like the fact he was inaccurate you are only seeing half of it. It is actually illegal in Canada and USA (most viewers and likely merch buyers) to misrepresent where funds are going when companies state they will use cash for a specific reason. Not to mention it could also be seen as using a crisis to profit off of those willing to help via buying items. Why do you think Alex dodged the question of how many shirts sold? You would think something like that would be very important for us to know and for them to brag about, no? They weren't exactly asking the total store sales just the 1 shirts sales. Now don't get me wrong I think it is great they are in fact making shields, however the information on the stores page along with conflicting information from videos makes it sound very misleading to buyers of the shirts, after all the current staff are clearly able to handle the production. As to where the money goes I really don't care as long as it genuinely helps with the COVID crisis in Canada(or even USA/World), and handing x amount of dollars to only 1 person is not helping Canadians, just a Canadian and a Canadian who had "connections" which doesn't help me as a Canadian or the person who really needs it because they lost their job and got evicted because of this mess which I'm sure there have been a few by now as they are the ones that really need help, not likely the person who has "connections" or even me for that matter.

 

Oh I'm 100% pissed off at the Ontario Gov for the lack of proper distribution and refilling of inventory of PPE... If you can't read the article below due to restrictions, the Gov failed to circulate 55 million masks from over buying because of the 2002 SARS event...

https://globalnews.ca/news/6715814/coronavirus-n95-masks-ontario/

 

Also no one should care about promoting their own brand in a time like this (make a big enough media splash and people will know about you), in fact if you look at the shields Linus is printing the only name on them I saw where the 3D printer companies, and somewhat justifiable because they (afaik) donated them to print the masks plus the design might be their own.

 

Because I'm employed still I'm doing everything I can to help those in need(as well saving for the possible layoff), last week before it ended I supported the COVID bundle on HB where 100% went to charities, but only to 2 charities because they are the only 2 I know and trust of the 4 listed. 

[AlexTheGreatish]

On 4/9/2020 at 1:24 PM, looak said:

You are local to me though, but thanks for your response!

Oh, in that case Tinkerine is leading a pretty solid local effort so maybe contact them.

[BerenApJiriki]

Cheers for the update Alex, super appreciate it. As per the Wan show they have raised $35,000 as of Saturday? Via shirt sales, I completely respect their decision to reveal the total $$$ not number of shirts as that would give a potentially misleading idea as to the gross profit of items from the store which is information that I would never expect a business with a retail focus to release. These guys have put out 1000 face shields already... I doubt VERY much that the US and other sources are getting them significantly cheaper than that already... even if with a proper mould they would probably be about a dollar or two each mass produced. 

 

The difference is these have already been delivered, if this PPE saves even a few lives by protecting front line staff it will have been more than worth it. People needed it weeks ago, not waiting for a plastics factory to retool and get bulk production moving.

 

Kudos LMG it's all fun and games until it isn't. Then you get to see how good people respond.

 

 

[rushboarduk]

Check out this guy's design for a face mask:

 

https://www.blendernation.com/2020/04/19/medical-mask-concept-trying-to-help-our-front-line-workers/#comment-886683

[2dor]

Do you guys happen to have any pictures of the printer farm ? That would be really cool to see.

 

I think I also saw a snippet in a recent video, but I can't remember which one. Thanks.