Infinite Electronics Supplying Up to 72 3D-Printed Face Shields Weekly
Infinite Electronics makes 60-72 face shields weekly at its Hayden, Idaho, facility to help medical facilities facing shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic, Katee Schalau, technical content specialist, emailed Tuesday. The electronic components maker announced last week it’s using a printing…
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design developed by 3D printer maker Budmen Industries to donate face shields for medical workers during the coronavirus outbreak (see 2004070050). Infinite can print the parts for six sets of shields in under six hours; its shields have gone to facilities in California, Oregon and Washington, Schalau said. Infinite bought the elastic, foam and polysheet required for the shields and makes the parts in the engineering lab where its 3D printer resides; shields are assembled in the company’s model shop in “minutes.” The electronic parts company still uses the areas for operations and “may interrupt the printing of the mask parts as needed,” said Schalau. The company’s machinist/product development specialist runs the printer and assemblies; the operations group packages shields for shipment, she said. Operating as an essential business under state guidelines during the pandemic, Infinite converted front and back office employees to work from home staffers, and moved to two shifts in production facilities and warehouses for proper social distancing, Schalau said. Budmen’s website said Tuesday the company temporarily stopped all 3D printer sales to produce devices for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic; its online register had requests for more than 400,000 shields as of April 7, Schalau noted.