Scalable and Sustainable Injection Moulded Face Shield Manufacturing for COVID-19

2020年初，世界各地的公司、机构和业余爱好者为应对COVID-19大流行，生产了各种各样的个人防护装备（PPE），主要是面罩，以快速应对供应链短缺。这些设计中的许多都使用了3D打印技术，这使得ppe成本高昂，生产速度慢，并且由于打印过程固有的孔隙性，通常与灭菌过程不相容。Camosun学院与行业合作伙伴AP Plastics （APP）和温哥华岛卫生局（Island Health）合作，采用一种完全不同的工艺，设计并快速生产了9,000多个面罩，以解决这场危机中的区域供应链短缺问题。在满足了眼前的需求后，AP塑料公司找到卡莫森学院，确定了解决PPE短缺的需要；完全符合加拿大卫生部和世界卫生组织的要求和建议。鉴于预计2020年秋季将出现第二波病例，显然需要一个更好的解决方案。AP塑料公司提出了一种新的注射成型（IM）设计，解决了标准面罩问题，降低了成本，提高了生产速度。该应用研究项目采用生成和测试方法，结合了Camosun innovations （CI）、APP、Island Health和测试公司Intertek（对设计和功能进行认证）的专业知识。CI将继续研究和开发一种面罩：生产成本低廉，可扩展到全球制造，光学校正，无雾化，模块化，并符合所有健康和安全标准。CI、APP和Island Health正在合作研究、设计和制造面向卫生保健工作者和一线工作人员的下一代面罩。挑战包括构思和设计，以满足工业、卫生当局和卫生保健工作者的需求，以及材料测试、模具设计和制造、迭代原型设计和卫生领域使用的国际认证。

In early 2020, companies, institutions, and hobbyists worldwide reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic by producing a wide range of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), primarily face shields, in a rapid response to supply chain shortages. Many of these designs utilized 3D printing technologies that made the PPEs costly, slow to produce, and often incompatible with sterilization processes due to the inherent porosity of the printing process. Using an entirely different process, Camosun College in collaboration with industry partner AP Plastics (APP) and the Vancouver Island Health Authority (Island Health) designed and rapidly produced over 9,000 face shields to address regional supply chain shortages in this crisis. With immediate needs satisfied, AP Plastics approached Camosun College identifying the need for a solution to the PPE shortage; one that fully conformed to the requirements and recommendations of Health Canada and the World Health Organization. Given the predicted second wave of cases for fall 2020, it was clear there needed to be a better solution. AP Plastics proposed a new injection moulded (IM) design addressing standard face shield concerns, reducing cost and increasing production speed. This applied research project utilizes generate-and test-methodology, combining expertise from Camosun Innovates (CI), APP, Island Health, and testing firm Intertek (to certify design and function). CI will pursue research and development of a face shield that is: inexpensive to produce, scalable for global manufacturing, optically correct, non-fogging, modular, and meets all health and safety standards. CI, APP, and Island Health are collaborating to research, design and fabricate next-generation face shields for health care workers and front-line staff. Challenges include ideation and design in response to the needs of industry, health authorities, and health care workers as well as materials testing, mould design and fabrication, iterative prototyping, and international certification for use in health fields.