By THEPHILBIZNEWS STAFF
Most of the cases of recorded death and infection of the country’s’ frontliners who are fighting with COVID19 are due to a lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Having said this, the members of the Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMCen) project, under the leadership of Engr. Fred P. Liza, joined forces with the new generation of heroes as the Philippines faces the war against COVID-19.
The AMCen project team was able to deliver 200 pieces of these 3D-printed face shields to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) on March 27, 2020, then another 30 pieces were donated to the medical staff of the Philippine Army General Hospital in Fort Bonifacio on March 28, 2020. The team also donated 12 pieces of these face shields to the Bicutan checkpoint personnel, and 20 pieces to the Team Twilight Men Only (TTMO), a group comprised of managers from the semiconductor industry.
‘The frame is 3D-printed, then an acetate film is attached, which serves as the face protection or covering. [The face shield is] secured by a garter,’ says Engr. Liza. ‘This can be used temporarily while our health workers are waiting for the medical-grade PPEs,’ he explains further. The face shields, and practically all other items needed by the public, maybe 3D-printed. It is because of our engineers and their remarkable research and development (R&D) capabilities that our selfless medical frontliners are getting the crucial support they need to help the entire Philippines beat COVID-19.
The present 3D-printing capacity of the AMCen team is at 10 frames every 1.5 hours. The team is looking for ways to improve production capacity. They are looking into using a larger nozzle and modifying printing parameters. The team is also set on redesigning additional 3D printers so that they may be used to increase production volume.
Engr. Fred P. Liza, the project leader of the Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMCen) and Chief of the Materials and Process Research Division of the DOST-MIRDC (second from right), heads the 3D-printing activities of the face shield.
These very difficult times bring out the heroes in all of us. The AMCen team recognizes other heroes out there: the TTMO for donating 7,000 pieces of acetate; and 3D Printing for a Cause PH for donating 3 spools of 3mm diameter of ABS Filament and for involving the team in this initiative.
Donations such as 3D printing filaments (PLA, ABS, and PETG), acetate sheets, and garter are most welcome. Owners of 3D printers, regardless of whether public or private sector, are invited to also embark on this nationwide effort.
The AMCen is a project of the Department of Science and Technology, through the cooperation of the DOST-Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC), DOST-Industrial Technology Development Insitute (DOST-ITDI), and funding from the DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD).