This document provides a list of materials and instructions for constructing a face visor to help prevent contraction of infectious diseases. At the end of the document are contact details for coordinating the distribution of the visors.
This is the printed visor when assembled with acetate and elastic:
If you are an NHS worker, and you would like to add your details as a point of contact to receive these visors, please see the contact section at the end of this document.
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A 3D printer with a print space of at least 187mm by 147mm by 21.5mm
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At least 10 metres of either PETG, PLA, or ABS print filament. PETG is our preferred filament type, but both PLA and ABS are fine.
To standardise our printing and assembly processes, we need to ensure we’re all printing the same version of the same file and using the right acetate etc.
Print the Prusa rc3 which you can find in covid19_headband_rc3.stl at https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/25857/files To save filament, you can instead print this modified version of the Prusa rc3 from https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/29080-prusa-rc3-m2/files
If you would like to stack the standard Prusa rc3 prints, try one of the files at https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/27975-prusa-rc3-faceshield-remix-stacked
Other files from the Prusa website may be used but please run it by Dhiresh before printing.
We aren't printing the bottom part of the Prusa RC3 model because it doesn't appear to provide much benefit and is tricky to print and assemble accurately.
If you don’t have any acetate please leave this to Anup, Abhi, and Gwilym, who have rotary machines cutting all the sheets for us. All parts should be sent to Dhiresh (London Hub) or Gwilym and Ellie (Hampshire Hub) for assembly.
If you do have acetate, the acetate should be 400 microns thick, and the dimensions for the sheet should be 290mm x 240mm. The longer side going across the headband.
To prepare the acetate:
- Cut acetate 290mm across by 240mm vertical.
- Find the mid-point (145mm), mark with sharpie.
- Measure 70mm out each side of mid-point, mark dots with sharpie.
- Use a normal double-hole punch, centred on each of those dots, to make 2 pairs of holes.
- Start at one end and clip the 4 perfectly aligned holes onto the pins.
The elastic should be 340mm long. Cut a slit near each end of the elastic about 1cm long (fold it and cut a 5mm slit into the fold). Push the large peg on the side of the headband through a slit to attach the elastic; repeat for the other side with the other end of the elastic.
The following instructions describe how to print using Automaker software with the CEL Robox printer, which some of our group use.
For other makes of printer:
- Cura software instructions
- Neil Sewell of Solid Print3D has written instructions for printing the visor with the popular Ultimaker range of 3D printers.
First download the STL file listed above to your computer, then open up the AutoMaker software:
Along the top of the application, there is a toolbar of tabs, to the right of any open tabs, click the + icon (highlighted in yellow) to begin the process of loading your STL file. This opens a new tab with that says "Load a model" in the center of the view:
Click the Add Model button in the bottom-middle of the view and browse for the STL file that you downloaded (or just drag-and-drop the STL file into the window):
Once your model has been loaded and positioned by the AutoMaker software, you can configure the density of your print. We don't need a fine resolution print for the visor, so we use the preset options for the coarsest print. It takes about 2 hours to print one visor.
Click the To Settings button at the bottom-right corner of the AutoMaker software to go through to the final configuration steps of the print.
Select the first radio button (highlighted in green) to select the coarsest print. Do not enable any other options:
We're now ready to start printing the visor. If you have spray adhesive, apply it to the print bed now, this helps prevent warping as the visors are printed. If you don't have the adhesive, keep an eye on the print to make sure that nothing goes awry during the printing process.
Click the Make button in the bottom-right corner to start the print. The model is transferred to your printer and the print begins.
When the print has completed, wash your hands with soap and wear gloves, if possible, to you handle the print. Also wash any tools you use to remove the print from the printer and tidy it up.
Check there are no sharp bits on the headband where they will be uncomfortable, or strings hanging off. Trim with a sharp knife as necessary.
Wash your hands. Package the print in clean bags. You can put multiple visors in the same bag but package different materials separately (eg put PETG prints in a separate bag from PLA prints). Ideally put the bag in another bag or box as well as this will help prevent contamination during transport.
On the bags write:
- The material used in the print (PETG, PLA, or ABS)
- Your email address or name so you can be contacted if necessary
- The date that the print was packaged. The date is important because it is known that COVID-19 can live for up to three days on surfaces. Dhiresh will not open your visors for three days after you packaged them, and then will not deliver the finished visors for three days after he last touched them.
If you are providing the acetate part as well, do not send the visor assembled (to avoid damage). Instead, package the prepare acetate along with the 3d printed visor.
Send your printed visors to Dhiresh for assembly. He will then send them on to the people who requested them. Contact Dhiresh for his postal address.
Makers for the NHS
- Email: [email protected]
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/makers4thenhs
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Sean M. Tracey: Team Co-ordinator / Backup Logistics
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/seanmtracey
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Dhiresh Nathwani: Chief Designer and Founder
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/dhireshnathwani
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Ellie Paine: Head of Communications
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Gwilym Newton: Head of Logistics
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Laura Cowen: Head of Documentation / Backup Communications
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James Sutton: Chief Liaison Officer
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Abhi Patel: Chief Financial Officer / GoFundMe Co-ordinator Twitter: https://twitter.com/technoidabhi LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/technoidabhi
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Anup Chavda - Chief Blade Person:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/anupchavda
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anupchavda/
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Andy Stanford-Clark (IBM UK) Twitter: https://twitter.com/andysc
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Andreas Haimboeck-Tichy
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Arturs Grigals
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Benjamin Dyer
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Chris Dudley
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Chris Polin
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Christopher Grilli
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Dan Robinson
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Eoin Devane
- LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/eoindevane
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Gabriel Orghidan
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Gary Barnett
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Jane Stockdill-Mander
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John Galvez
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John H Simpson
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Lucas Ferreira-Correia
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Luke Eustace
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Mark Lawson
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Michael Glass
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Mike Feingold
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Niall Beard
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Paul Crouch
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Pete M
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Ralph Bolton
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Richard Snell
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Romy Greenfield
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seanmtracey
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Selina Lee
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Stephen Porton
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Stuart Bayliss
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Sumit Maitra
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Simon Kapadia
- Website: http://kapadia.pl