The ingenuity and willingness of engineers to find solutions to help the fight against the coronavirus pandemic has been highlighted by Jonty Horn, the son of Ceratizit UK & Ireland’s Tool-o-Mat service engineer Chris Horn (www.ceratizit.com).

Using knowledge gained from a specialist 3-D Printing forum, Jonty has responded to requests for personal protection equipment (PPE) for front-line National Health Service staff, by accessing files to create face visors using Creality 3-D printing technology.

He created prototypes, lightweight and heavy-duty visors, and approached his local Lincoln hospital to offer them to its staff, as well as his local doctor’s surgery.

Jonty said: “The initial reaction was apprehensive, but once I clarified there was absolutely no cost to them, the nurses were overjoyed. They have asked us to make the more substantial of the two so we shall commence straight away.”

The beauty of 3-D printing is that the files can be shared so easily. Inspired by what Jonty has achieved so far, Sheffield-based Ceratizit UK & Ireland’s two apprentices, Stephen Pennington and Alex Humberstone, have also taken up the challenge.

With access to 3-D printing technology they will begin manufacturing and offering the shields to local medical staff.

Apart from access to the 3-D printer all that is required are sheets of PLA, 150µm sheets, elastic bands and a 5mm drill bit (or hole punch).

Chris Horn concluded: “3-D printing the holder for the plastic face shield takes around two hours on Jonty’s Creality printer so we can’t make too many.

“However, if more people, like Stephen and Alexander get involved a little will turn into a lot and we can make a difference for our key workers in the NHS in the fight against COVID-19.”