04/23/2020
Additive Manufacturing (AM) has risen to become a reliable alternative to fabricating desired equipment with practically a production-effective human workforce. Enthusiast, researchers, and doctors are now aiding in the development of equipment using AM technology to aid the frontline healthcare communities tackling the global pandemic. Ventilators, face shield adapters and breathing adapters are the keys items that are being manufactured worldwide.
On February 11th, after a training workshop in Las Vegas, two members of the FAMU-FSU Industrial Engineering department were in the Las Vegas airport staring at a TV monitor discussing the recent developments of the spreading novel Coronavirus. Dr. Tarik Dickens turned to his student Sean Psulkowski, a second year Ph.D. student, and asked, "How do we rise to this occasion?" The conversation started an internal discussion amongst students of the CREST-RISE Additive Manufacturing Program. Second year postdoctoral researcher Dr. Phong Tran immediately started testing out different open source models from National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored websites.
When the first COVID-19 patient emerged in Tallahassee, FL, local medical providers and researchers became the community’s last line of defense to combat this disease. Knowing this and being well connected with the Tallahassee medical community through previous outreach efforts, the CREST-RISE program wanted to help provide assistance as quickly as possible. One of these research groups within the program is the Dickens’ group from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Industrial Engineering Department. Sean Psulkowski, explained his impetus to help ASAP: “As engineers, when we don’t have something, we make it. When we heard of the PPE shortages across the country, we started thinking about putting our words into action.”
At the end of March, members of the research group, spearheaded by Helen Parker (MS student), began developing a prototype to efficiently and effectively 3D print an all-encompassing protective headwear from home. This was amid the national suspensions and lock down of college campuses. The face shield design consisted of two main components: a 3D printed horseshoe shaped brim, onto which attaches a transparent film shield. This device serves as a combo to protect frontline caregivers from COVID-19. The shield itself has enough vertical coverage that, when properly disinfected, allows medical care providers to wear face masks for longer periods of time. Or, in some cases where filtration masks are unnecessary, it can be removed and a fabric mask that covers the mouth and nose can be worn instead. Once the design was finalized, the research group quickly combined efforts to produce as many masks as possible.
“All of us wanted to help so we volunteered as much time as we could. Dr. Dickens did as well, He personally dropped off printers and filament to each of us, the same day. He saw the problem, but he also saw the solution,” said Dr. Phong Tran, a postdoctoral researcher with the group talking about their PI, Dr. Tarik Dickens Ph.D.
Once the materials were gathered, the efforts continued full speed. Currently more than fifteen 3D printers are producing printed components. Given that each face shield takes one and a half hours the time investment has been immense. Today, frontline health workers in the Tallahassee community are out there wearing the PPE produced by this group of selfless engineers and, luckily, can rest assured that no shortages are going to stop this community from taking the safety measures required to stop this invisible enemy in its tracks. Helen Parker and Charissa Lucien, both M.S. students at FAMU and volunteers said, "This is unprecedented. It’s not even a question about helping or not, it’s how we can.”
Production efforts have expanded to the College of Engineering (COE) and the High-Performance Materials Institute (HPMI). Through HPMI director Dr. Richard Liang, the facility has happily volunteered to participate with further production to meet the regional needs of the community. Director of the CREST program, Dr. Subramanian Ramakrishnan, has privately funded printers for volunteers to help assist further efforts over the upcoming weeks. The main concern is regarding regional clinics in North Florida and South Georgia. We are trying to anticipate potential needs as a precaution if the virus should spread above projections. It is expected to peak in our area over the next month. Face shields are delivered to the FSU Innovation hub for delivery to the clinics.
Website Links:
www.eng.famu.fsu.edu/ime
news.fsu.edu/tag/coronavirus/
www.famu.edu/index-landing-clean.cfm?coronavirus
www.cnbc.com/amp/2020/04/17/how-3-d-printing-is-helping-the-us-fight-the-coronavirus-pandemic.html
www2.leoncountyfl.gov/ei/
(www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2020/04/14/we-prepared-majority-tallahassee-coronavirus-patients-treated-capital-regional-medical-center/2988632001/)
