- Gill Polyplast along with 3D Print Solutionz develops a Face Shield for Frontline Corona Workers
- Washable, Breathable and Re-usable makes it unique
- These Face Shields can also be used by shop keepers, medical store employees, who comes to face many every day
Joining the national fight against COVID19, Delhi based Gill Polyplast & 3D Print Solutionz launched affordable 3D Printed Face Shields, which will be great support not just to frontline workers, but many who comes in touch with people on a daily basis. Quarantine is kind of a break for us from the hustle and bustle of cities, and for most of the people, its a vacation, and we are spending quality times with our family. But, on the complete opposite side, stands the frontline warriors (Doctors, Nurses, Medical staffs, Police Personnel) continuously battling against the pandemic which gulped the entire world into terror. Instead of improving, the condition seems to worsen.
However, in this battle, the Frontliners work as the shield between the citizens and the coronavirus. 24/7 medical facilities are taking care of the patients but who is taking care of them? According to recent surveys, few of the Doctors, Nurses even Police personnel tested positive for COVID19. The country will be requiring a large quantity of protective equipment including Face Shields, and this affordable and re-usable face shields by Gill Poly Plast and 3D Print Solutionz will assist these Frontliners in the battle against coronavirus.
We spoke to Sunil Anand from 3D Print Solutionz, who was conceptual about this product and has been designing other products like a plastic face mask. He along with Manmohan Singh and Gurdev Nagi worked as a core team and came up with the face shield. “It has been tweaked as per the Indian requirements for human beings and climatic conditions. These can be used not only by healthcare workers but by everyone in and out including delivery boys, vegetable vendors, shopkeepers in grocery stores, people working at factories and Police personnel under a much affordable price”, says Sunil Anand.
Communication is much better with this shield than the masks, as masks tend to be uneasy while talking. It is comfortable to wear for long hours and it provides a sufficient gap between the face and shield for comfortable breathing. Most importantly it helps in effective social distancing.
Gill Polyplast is known for the manufacturing of plastic toys, automobile/ electronic plastic components as well as medically based products such as parts of nebulizer. Whereas, 3D Print Solutionz manufactures 3D printers. Due to the implementation of a nationwide lockdown they shutdown every manufacturing operation. However, Mr. Anand came up with the idea to help the Frontliners against one common enemy by developing face shields which were not possible manufacturing through 3D print. The core team including 3D Print Solutionz and Gill Polyplast joined for this particular venture face shield.
The closure of manufacturing units due to lockdown was a hurdle towards the production of Facial Shields but Mr. Anand said, as the company was already into manufacturing medical based products there was no problem procuring raw material except getting labour. Which led the core team to decide to do it themselves and launch the product. Besides that, he confirmed the product is made keeping in mind the stringent quality controls including proper sanitization and social distancing norms.
This Facial shield claims itself to be different from others as it is re-usable and easily washable. It provides greater surface area coverage by protecting the complete face surface. As we know, mouth, nose, eyes, and ear is most vulnerable to the virus, it prevents touching these areas by hands which may get contaminated even under gloves.
Sunil Anand from 3D Print Solutionz, along with Manmohan Singh and Gurdev Nagi of Gill Polyplast worked as a core team and came up with the face shield
The team used medical grade plastic which is nonbreakable, flexible, and lasting, to make this Face shield. The front protective shield is made with Plexi Glass which tends to be anti-fog, anti-glare and it can be sanitized again and again. In case of any problem, the front shield can be replaced easily as and when required.
However, it wasn’t easy to succeed at the first attempt to make the shields. Mr. Anand commenting about this said, “we were first making it through 3D printing but the quantity was less and the product was costing more, so we decided the alternative for mass production so that it can reach masses at a much better cost”.
Till now, they have manufactured around 20,000 Shields and shortly trying to double their production and suitably priced the Sheilds at Rs.80/- each. “We want to produce as much so that anyone and everyone who is in need can easily afford and use it. The major goal is to protect people and the frontliners from getting contaminated by the virus. We will keep developing more and more convenient products for the benefit of the public”. says Mr. Anand.
This is a great example of timely action and innovation. This entrepreneurial journey of the trio will sure inspire our people and a great assurance to the COVID19 frontliners that they are not alone in the fight. For more details, Sunil Anand at 3dprintsolutionz@gmail.com or at gillpolyplast@gmail.com