Coronavirus: Academy of Art University using 3D printers to make face shields for healthcare workers
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco's Academy of Art University is helping local health care workers stay safe by using 3D printers to make face shields.
The school's industrial design shop manager came up with the idea. Max Niehaus looked at several designs online and picked the one that doesn't take long to produce, and has positive feedback from other hospitals.
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Doctors, nurses, and technicians at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital have tested the mask and approved it.
The university is now calling on students to help.
"We're going to launch a call to action. It's going to go out to all 10,000 of our Academy of Art students, many of whom have 3D printers at home, and they can start producing these parts as well. They'll print them, send them to us, we will sanitize, assemble, and distribute everything to the community," said Niehaus.
The shields cost about $2 each to make. Academy of Art hopes to make many shields for not just health care workers, but other first responders.
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