College supports frontline care workers by 3D printing face shields

@BordersCollege is supporting frontline care workers by producing Face Shields for use by staff throughout the Scottish Borders.

Using their two 3D printers, staff members Davie Lowe and Mark Catto are 3D printing the headbands and applying the acetate shields from their homes.

Taking up to one hour to produce the printer builds up a layer of plastic creating the headband part of the shield and then has an acetate sheet secured.

Assistant Principal Davie Lowe commented:

“Our colleague Paul Watson from Eyemouth High School shared an approved open-source programme for creating the headband, which allowed us to get these into production.

“Between Mark Catto and myself, we hope to have over 100 Face Shields produced by the end of the week”.

The shields act as a physical barrier that can protect health care workers’ faces from external fluids. 3D printer owners around the world are stepping up to meet the demand, creating an international network of DIY manufacturing.

The Face Shields will be distributed by Scottish Borders Council as part of a Borders wide effort by several Schools and Borders College to support the current crisis.