The College of Engineering is part of MSU's growing efforts to address the shortage of critical medical supplies in communities due to the novel coronavirus.
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) has been 3D printing the latest design of face shield frames since Wednesday, March 25, on its Polyjet Connex 3D printer. It takes 22 hours to produce six frames.
Brian Wright, ECE research and instructional equipment technician, said his efforts are part of a bigger group on the MSU campus.
"We are 3D printing face shield frames and are dropping them off to be assembled by another group. We got involved based on an email request from EHS and were put in contact with Nathan Tykocki, an assistant professor in Pharmacology, Toxicology," Wright said. "He was already printing some test pieces based on an online design he had found and is also coordinating with the current Microsoft Teams group online.
"We can print six frames at a time, with each cycle taking 22 hours," Wright explained. "I'm coming in once a day to clean up the previous days prints and start the next batch. There are others doing a lot more than this, but it was a need and we had the right equipment, so why not get involved," Wright added.
ECE Chair John Papapolymerou said using resources typically utilized for teaching and research projects are helping address the shortage of needed medical supplies.
"In true Spartan spirit, ECE will do anything it can to help our medical and health professionals, the true heroes of this war as they are caring for our fellow citizens. As President Theodore Roosevelt once said, the credit belongs to those actually in the arena, "whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood.'"
Engineering Dean Leo Kempel said it is clear that Spartans will overcome the adversity of the coronavirus.
"I am incredibly proud of the Spartan Engineering students, staff and faculty in how they have pivoted from our usual educational experiences to these new conditions in little time and with tremendous impact on our students, employees, and community. We have transitioned from figuring out how to be effective in remote teaching and operations, to maintaining student progress, to now developing methods to meet immediate needs of our community," Kempel added.