04.06.20
University of Liverpool produces 15,000 visors for local NHS staff
As part of a partnership with several major manufacturing companies, the University of Liverpool has produced more than 15,000 3D-printed protective visors for use by healthcare staff in local NHS trusts and partner organisations.
Throughout the last eight weeks, staff and PhD students in the university’s School of Engineering and Architecture have utilised 3D printing and laser cutting technologies to produce the protective face visors to help address PPE demands in local NHS trusts.
The protective visors use a hybrid design approach with a laser cut top section and a 3D-printed bottom section and were developed in conjunction with NHS staff at the local trusts. The project has also received support from major industrial partners Unilever, AMB and Smurfit Kappa, providing assistance in scaling up the production and donating materials to the project.
The visors being produced use a WHO-approved design which is available for around to access globally.
The University of Liverpool has produced more than 15,000 3D-printed protective visors for use by healthcare staff in local NHS trusts and partner organisations.
Dr Kate Black, an expert in additive manufacturing in the University’s School of Engineering, said: “It has been amazing to see how during this unprecedented period, University staff, technicians and PhD students working both in the Active Learning Lab and from home, have helped support NHS staff in our local hospitals in the collective fight against Covid-19.
“Alongside our staff and students, I would also like to take the opportunity to thank our industrial partners whose contribution helped us to produce and deliver so many visors in such a short time. I would also like to express my gratitude and appreciation to Taylor Wessing for donating to this project.”
The university’s Campus Support team assisted with the delivery of visors to Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Southport & Ormskirk Hospital Trust and Arrowe Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Visors were also provided to the Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme and to the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.