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Cebu Normal University (CNU) educators utilized 3D printers in the University to make face shields donated to health workers and medical frontliners in the city.

Ms. Clare Maristela Galon (left) and Mr. Allan Roy Elnar (right) poses a wacky photo wearing the PPEs. (Contributed photo)

Physics teachers Ms. Clare Maristela Galon and Mr. Allan Roy Elnar, both from the Chemistry and Physics Department of Cebu Normal University (CNU) made use of the 3D printers in the school’s Physics laboratory to make frames used in making face shields.

Galon said that they thought of maximizing the two 3D printers in the Physics laboratory to make Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to be donated to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) frontliners.    

Galon said that she and Elnar are assisted by their co-teachers, Mr. Gibson Maglasang and Mr. Carl Patrick Casas, both from the Physics Department, in making the face shields.

She said that they have been using Polylactic Acid (PLA), a formula used to create plastic films, food containers, and the like to print the shield frames. The shield frames were designed using an Auto Computer Aided Design (CAD), a software application for modelling, Galon said. 

Acetates coming from the University’s Supply office were used as the actual face shields. Galon shared that they first utilized rubber bands for the retainers but soon upgraded it into garters with the aid of donations coming from the Innovative CNU Assistance and Relief Effort (iCARE) Donation Center.

Read related article: [iCARE: CNU’s means of saying it cares] 

“However, it really takes time to finish printing,” she said.  

Galon said that it takes approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes to make one shield frame. 

Ms. Clare Maristela Galon waits for the frame to be finished on the 3D printer. (Contributed photo)

She said that it was on the last day of March that she and Elnar had calibrated and troubleshooted the 3D printer. It was on April 3, 2020 that they finally started producing the shield frames, the same day the iCARE Ride started to operate.

Read related article: [CNU transports VSMMC frontliners]

Galon said that the printing of shield frames is still ongoing. They have created about 100 face shields and have already donated 50 to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC). She said that they are planning to produce another 50 more in a week to give to other medical institutions. She said that they are also eyeing to give face shields to the Rural Health Unit (RHUs).   

“Pero mao lage, time constraint,” Galon said, admitting that the time in making the shield frames is a challenge.

(left to right) Physics teachers Mr. Carl Patrick Casas, Mr. Allan Roy Elnar, Mr. Gibson Maglasang, and Ms. Clare Maristela Galon at the CNU Physics laboratory. (Contributed photo)

The face shields made by the teachers from the Physics department were distributed during the third week of April along with the other PPE’s accumulated through the iCARE Donation Center. 

Galon said that going to CNU to print the shield frames at the Physics laboratory is a sacrifice they are willing to make for the COVID-19 frontliners. (JDF)