Allegheny College Partners With Regional Manufacturers to Produce Protective Face Shields for Healthcare Facilities

Face shieldsAllegheny College is partnering with regional manufacturers to produce protective face shields to help meet the needs of healthcare facilities responding to COVID-19, including Meadville Medical Center.

Byron Rich is an assistant professor of art and director of the Allegheny Lab for Innovation & Creativity. At the suggestion of Allegheny biology professor Catharina Coenen, Rich produced a prototype of a plastic face shield and headband using a 3D printer and laser cutter in the lab.

Through the efforts of the Economic Progress Alliance of Crawford County and the northwestern Pennsylvania chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association, several area manufacturers have stepped forward to assist with production, packing and distribution of the face shields. All of the time and materials for the face shields are being donated. 

Read more in this Meadville Tribune article, Professor, area manufacturers collaborate to make plastic face shields with 3D printers.