ELK GROVE, Calif. — RAH 3D, an Elk Grove start up, normally helps people produce prototypes using 3D printers.
However, when coronavirus hit, Parr put his 3D printers to work making medical face shields. The face shields design is simple enough that Rich can run several printers at a time in the spare bedroom of his Elk Grove home.
“They are actually just printing the bracket, its actually just the headband piece. Then we use a 3-hole punch to [create] holes in the acrylic transparency sheeting which most people know them as projector sheets,” Parr explains.
The printing is a team effort. While Parr is at work, his wife resets and loads the machines to keep production going. Parr says each of his six 3D printing machines can produce a mask bracket every 15 minutes.
The face shields are easy to clean and reusable, he added. Medical workers like them, Parr noted, because it helps protects them from coughs, sneezes and air born fluids from coronavirus patients. Requests for the masks have come from hospitals as far as Texas and New Jersey.
“When I donate them locally, you can feel the emotion from them that it’s like Christmas when they get these shields,” Parr said
Many of the shields are donated to hospitals and medical centers all over the US, but to help with the cost of production Parr started fundraising. He's asking for a $5 donation for one shield which will then pay for five additional shields that will be sent to medical workers all over the state.
“Locally, we have donated over 500 shields to the hospitals right here in Elk Grove,” Parr said.
According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Coronavirus background
According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Currently, there is no vaccine, however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, along with any other respiratory illness:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
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