COVID-19-Design, rapid prototyping, and certifying a reusable N95 mask

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Due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), hospitals in Canada and around the world have faced a shortage of disposable N95 masks. Besides the immediate desperate need of facemasks, hospitals will encounter waste management challenges of N95 masks in the long term. This project aims at addressing these two challenges by designing, manufacturing and certifying reusable N95 masks to combat COVID-19. A mask solution that can be reused will be proposed and the optimum filtration method will be selected by the help of the partner organization, APC Filtration Inc. Reusable masks will be manufactured and tested to acquire National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) certification. In addition, materials performance tests as per Health Canada requirements will be completed. A sterilization process for the reusable mask structure will be proposed and its impact on the structure will be investigated. The certified design per NIOSH will be used for designing and manufacturing a cast for high volume injection molding of 1000-5000 parts/day for a total of 500,000 parts. The work with our highly qualified team from Ryerson and APC Filtration Inc. will result in an innovative product that will help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada and worldwide.