While 3D printing technology is allowing the public to step up to help fill the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), safety and effectiveness remain the key to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.Bob Pollard of Mountain Home is the Arkansas coordinator for makethemasks.com, a website dedicated to help the public construct the “Montana Mask”, a popular 3D printer blueprint. According to the group, the “Montana Mask” is a highly-effective filtration mask. It’s 3D printable, and the design files are free for public use. It can be sanitized and reused. Although not approved by the FDA or NIOSH, the mask has been rigorously tested. The level of protection is customizable, depending on which material is used for the filter.
Using a 3D printer is not an easy task, according to Pollard, who says educating yourself is the first step towards being successful if trying to construct the “Montana Mask.”
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Pollard says he is concerned with an issue commonly occurring with 3D printed masks.
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A United States Army veteran, Pollard says the seal on the mask is the key to a successful fit.
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The materials used as a filter are also crucial. Pollard and his business partner Daniel Kasinger are creating 3D masks for the healthcare system. The duo’s designs allow one N-95 mask, the gold-standard in PPE, to be cut up into six filters for the “Montana Mask.” The N-95 remains one of the hardest pieces of PPE to obtain, so some mask printers have turned to other filtration devices. Pollard has this advice for anyone looking to make a mask.
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Pollard and Kasinger have a Facebook page at facebook.com/supeheromasksppe, called Superhero Masks, where they accept donations for mask construction for the medical community and offer information on their creations and the 3D printing of masks. Pollard says the pair have provided masks throughout the Twin Lakes Area.
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Pollard says he appreciates everyone who is stepping up to help fill the gap in PPE throughout the area. He just wants to remind the public to do things safely.
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To learn more about 3D printed PPE masks, visit www.makethemasks.com.
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