Ricoh 3D is stepping up its support in the fight against COVID-19 and is using its resources to produce 40,000 clear face shields per week to equip the staff of the UK's NHS health system. The face shield has been specifically designed by Ricoh to improve comfort, and its reusability helps to reduce long-term costs.
Ricoh 3D, based in Telford, UK, is in discussions with medical institutions and NHS trusts across the UK and working around the clock to provide effective protective equipment using the rapid prototyping process of additive manufacturing.
Within 24 hours of receiving the design file, the Ricoh team had already printed the headrest and was able to source and assemble the remaining components with the help of its suppliers. Once the design had been optimised to both increase comfort and reduce the risk of contamination, the face shield was released for production.
It is estimated that more than 150,000 face shields are used daily in London alone in the fight against COVID-19. Ricoh will therefore use a 150-tonne injection moulding machine to reach full production.
Mark Dickin, Additive Manufacturing & Moulding Specialist at Ricoh 3D, says: "Our facility is designed to take a product from concept to prototype to mass production, and that's exactly what we have done in a very short time. This is also a testament to the strength of our supplier network and, above all, our cross-functional team that has been able to get the job done so quickly. Local suppliers for the foam, rubber bands and visor components have contacted us through our production printing, design solutions and quality assurance networks. We have seen reports of nurses' faces being injured and bruised by the existing protective equipment. The hospital staff is struggling enough, the employees should not have to take care of their faces after a 12-hour shift. We knew immediately that our polypropylene, which is flexible, lightweight, waterproof and fatigue-resistant, was ideal for the job. Its properties are comparable to those of the materials used in injection moulding, so we had no doubt that this was the right material for series production by injection moulding".
Jason Pott, Lead Research Nurse for Emergency Medicine at the Royal London Hospital, adds: "In our tests, staff have highlighted the comfort of Ricoh's solution compared to existing equipment. We conducted the tests with a range of staff in the emergency room, both men and women, taking into account different head shapes, hairstyles and headscarves - all were happy with the fit. Innovations like these help NHS staff to protect themselves while they look after patients".
Ricoh 3D produces more than five million molded parts per month as part of its toner business, and the capacity of its 828 m" injection molding facility is always available. The company has extensive experience in manufacturing medical products that have improved the lives of thousands of people. For example, Ricoh 3D has been involved in the production of a lever hinge mechanism for foot orthoses and has contributed to the development of a revolutionary technology in which limbs are scanned and accurately reproduced using 3D printing before surgery. In addition, additive manufacturing processes can also be used to produce surgical instruments for complicated operations.
https://rapidfab.ricoh-europe.com/
