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DUT donates 3D face shields to local doctors, old-age home and municipal healthcare workers
by Softcopy
The rampant COVID-19 pandemic has brought our nation to a standstill. It is depleting medical resources and equipment faster than they can be replaced. The worldwide scramble for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is also driving prices higher while simultaneously reducing availability. The Durban University of Technology (DUT) stepped in and provided a helping hand to mitigate this dire shortage by producing and donating 3D face shields to selected Durban communities.
DUT utilised its advanced 3D printing laboratory located at its Ritson Campus-based Luban Workshop. The laboratory has 12 high quality 3D printers producing purpose-built PPE. In addition to the 12 3D printers, DUT has two industrial
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resin printers that could be used to print moulds to support large scale manufacturing processes. According to Ebrahim Asmal, the leader of this innovative project, “Each shield is printed in just 24 minutes. This prompt response is urgently needed to help reduce the COVID-19 infection spread in order to flatten the curve. It helps to protect the wearer and those around from the splatter that may occur. Our main aim is to help reduce the spread of the virus.” The shield protects the three facial areas, the eyes, nose and the mouth, all known to be areas through which the virus can infect a person. Asmal’s team is made up of staff and students from the Department of Information Technology and Mechanical Engineering who continue to make these 3D shields on a daily basis. Dr Festus Mwangi (Head of Department: Mechanical Engineering) with Ebrahim Asmal (Senior lecturer: Department of Information and Technology and the Project Leader) at the University’s Luban
Workshop, Ritson Campus. A number of doctors around Durban, the South African Police Services (Berea SAPS, Chatsworth SAPS), doctors at Prince Mshiyeni Hospital, Addington Hospital, Wentworth Hospital and the Aryan Benevolent Old Age Home in Chatsworth have benefited from this initiative.
