The Montana Mask currently used by Billings Clinic, MT
Surgical masks are not to be mistaken for N95 masks and the Montana Mask is a surgical mask. However, these surgical masks can be printed on many 3D printers as they require PLA as print material. They are accepted and used at the Billings Clinic in Billings, Montana.
COVID-19 has created a crisis. Medical professionals are heroically serving the public without proper face masks, because they don’t have them and can’t get them.
This incredible need inspired Dr. Dusty Richardson, Dr. Spencer Zaugg and Colton Zaugg to create the Montana Mask, a 3D-printable, highly effective filtration mask that can be fitted to the provider’s face and sanitized between uses. This trio created the Montana Mask for one reason - to help. It's permanently free for anyone to produce. Join this urgent worldwide effort to help protect those caring for the sick in your community.
By using the scaling feature on the 3D printer, which adjusts the X, Y and Z dimensions, these masks can be printed in different sizes so that they fit exactly.
Sanitization Tests
Many of our makers have brought up the concern that PLA can be porous. We had the same concern, so we conducted a set of tests to better understand how porosity effects the potential microbe growth levels on the mask. Our mask was made of PLA filament, created at 25% infill and .15mm layers. After a full day of usage by a local nurse in Billings, MT, we tested the following on standard agar petri dishes for a 72hr bacterial study.
Further Tests
On their website the doctors have published respiratory test results, mask type comparison, fit test report for 3M 7503 Half Mask and fit test report for Montana Mask.
Not FDA/NIOSH approved
The masks are not approved by the FDA or NIOSH or any other state or federal regulatory body, but they've been tested them rigorously to make sure they serve medical professionals that are serving.
The CDC has recently approved “homemade masks” for crisis management and shortages of approved materials.
No replacement for N95 mask
N95 masks are still the recommended personal protection equipment (PPE). In situations where N95 masks are in short supply or not available, we recommend that each hospital or individual using these masks run a complete fit test with the support of hospital administrators. The filtration efficiency of the mask will vary with the material inserted into the filter casing.
This is not an FDA or NIOSH approved N95 product and should be tested and fit to your local hospital standard.
OSHA fit testing?
Although we have performed the tests required per OSHA standards for this equipment, this is not an FDA or NIOSH approved product. All our research findings indicate that this mask passes or exceeds standard test requirements for filtration. Please see our research.
Costs
When printing in PLA, this mask can be created for around $1 per mask for materials. Other filaments have a different price structure, but we would like to stress the fact that these files are for open source use only.
No CO2 buildup during tests
During our test, the mask did not cause CO2 levels to rise. This test was conducted on a healthy individual with no existing pulmonary complications. If you have respiratory issues, this mask, or any mask, may not be recommended for use.
Recommended filters
We recommend using 2.5” squares cut from surgical masks. One N95 surgical mask will yield six filters with surgical protection and will yield a greater filtration depending on the fit. Other creative filter materials have not been tested by us, but could be considered in extreme circumstances.
Meet the Inventors
Dusty Richardson, MD
Dusty Richardson is a neurosurgeon at Billings Clinic in Billings, MT. He graduated from the University of Wyoming with a BS in Zoology/Physiology and Spanish. He completed his medical training, including medical school, neurological surgery residency, and a fellowship in complex spine surgery, at the University of Colorado. Dusty loves his work as a neurosurgeon and considers it a privilege to serve his patients and the community. When he’s not at the hospital, Dusty enjoys wood and metal working, inventing, volunteering with his church, and spending time with his wife, their five children, and his dog Finn.
Spencer E. Zaugg, DMD
Dr. Zaugg received his surgical technology certificate from Salt Lake Community College and worked at the University of Utah Hospital assisting in surgical procedures. It was during this time that he developed a passion for research and received his bachelor degrees in chemistry and microbiology from Weber State University. He received his doctorate in dental medicine at Southern Illinois University and then completed a 1 year full-time fellowship in implant dentistry. Dr. Zaugg is currently a general dentist with a practice in Billings, MT. He enjoys designing and fabricating “projects” with CAD-CAM technology including 3D printing.
Colton Zaugg
Colton was born in Utah and raised in Montana. He spent two years in Guatemala serving the people there from 2013-2015. Colton graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor degree in microbiology. He has a passion for designing, building and experimenting.
Apart from PLA, rubber weather stripping and elastics are required to produce the masks. As PLA is temperature sensitive it can be molded with hot water or a hair dryer, so that it provides better fit.
Download directions of the according files are also added to the website.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER: The 3D printed mask information presented here is intended to assist the general public during the current global pandemic related to COVID-19 and the related nationwide shortage of personal protective equipment. Please be aware that this mask design is not intended to replace standard protective equipment such as N-95 masks or surgical masks when that equipment is available. The use of these 3D printed masks has not been fully tested and has not been approved by federal or state authorities. Billings Clinic, Marlin D. Richardson, M.D., Spencer Zaugg, DDS, Colton Zaugg or anyone associated with makethemasks.com, assume no liability and make no representations, warranties, or guarantees regarding the safety, efficacy, or appropriate use of these masks in any particular situation. Each facility should test each batch of masks prior to relying on them for protection. Use of this information for any purpose is at the maker’s and user’s own risk.
