Float Digital, a multi-award-winning SEO & Google Ads agency, is turning old water bottles into protective face shields for hospital workers fighting against the COVID-19 outbreak. All around the world, there is a severe shortage of PPE (personal protective equipment), due to the rapid spread of the virus. There is also an increase in plastic waste from all of the single-use protective gear.
In response to this, Float Digital, based in Killigrew Street, Falmouth, decided to kill two birds with one stone. The company started 3D printing face shields from recycled bottles; thus, reducing waste while producing protective gear.
The team started making the gear once they heard a call from the 3D printing company, Prusa3D, encouraging anyone with one of its 3D printers to start making face shields. Prusa3D has already printed and donated over 12,000 shields in the Czech Republic and has requests for an additional 90,000.
Director Samantha Charles said:
They’re telling everybody that has one of these machines to start printing. They’ve been doing it worldwide, and they’re trying to get everyone on board. We’ll be printing as many as we can. It’s a good opportunity to do something that’s helpful.
Currently, Float Digital is testing out the structure and quality of their protective gear before printing out thousands of them to be sent off to the NHS.
Prusa3D announced:
3D printing communities across the world became a massive driving force in the effort to produce protective wear for those who need it the most. This is why the design of the shields is fully open-source; anyone can produce it and/or modify it. Also, the shields are made from easily accessible and inexpensive materials. We would like to ask you to help us by spreading the word or even joining the collective endeavor – as a community; we can help thousands of people in need.
During this pandemic 3D printers have been of great help to manufacture ventilator parts, make buckles for face shields and even another full face shield. You too can help! If you have a 3D printer, you can also help thousands of people in need. To start saving lives, go to prusa3d.com/covid19 or email [email protected].
