PCEC News
School of Engineering Employees Create 3D Printed Face Masks to Protect GVSU Essential Workers
April 22, 2020
Dr. Shabbir Choudhuri, Professor of Engineering, and Ryan Aldridge, Operations Manager at the Innovation Design Center and graduate student of engineering, are working together to create 3D printed masks to be used by GVSU essential workers on campus.
The two paired up to significantly modify an open-source design that was available on the internet in order to ensure that it contained easily exchangeable parts and could be created from readily available materials. This was a challenge given the current shortage of many materials due to COVID-19. The masks are currently being tested by the GVSU Family Health Center. The goal is to create a mask that gets as close as possible to the protection level of a N95 mask with many reusable parts that can be disinfected daily.
Once the final prototype is developed, production and assembly will occur. The final products will be distributed to GVSU employees who are required to come to campus in order to maintain university operations during the coronavirus shutdown.