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Design and AM of a medical face shield
and reduce product cost/time. As such, the product advanced engineering design and AM methods,
detailed in this study has satisfactorily met these with the product being convenient for single-use
conditions. Realistically, industry nowadays will (means of economic base) and sterilization (with
not survive in a globally competitive marketplace limited cycles) in case of reuse in a risk-based
unless they introduce new products of better environment such as COVID-19 (+) with close
quality, at a lower cost, and with shorter lead HW-patient interaction.
times .
[27]
AM brings unique considerations for engineers 4 Conclusion
in the design process for medical PPE. An In this study, a competitively lighter, relatively
important issue in the use of PPE for medical more ergonomic, and easy-to-use medical face
purposes is biological consideration (including shield design which can be assembled without
cleaning, sterilization, and biocompatibility). In extra components (such as elastic bands, softening
consideration of unregulated PPE production materials, and clips) and has a relatively shorter AM
during this COVID-19 pandemic, recently, a based production time were successfully realized.
discussion was reported by MIT news on the The motivation for this study was to provide an
limitations and dangers of using AM/3D printing original AM compatible PPE product (primary
for PPE fabrication . The text reports that one of target), which was designed in accordance with
[28]
the biggest risks with AM-fabricated products for professional product design principles to support
COVID-19 is the false sense of hope as quickly social solidarity against COVID-19 pandemic and
produced PPE inevitably fails to meet any of potential future needs. The product design feature
the needs previously discussed. This is crucial is also compatible with plastic injection molding-
when considering critical PPE products such as based serial production (secondary target). The
filtration masks, which may need expert design survey carried out in a health service environment
consideration and medical/health service authority revealed that the product can be used for medical
approvals, may do more harm than good. The purposes with a good level of user/HW satisfaction.
additional risk from unregulated PPE also exists
as many FDM filaments retain ambient moisture, Taken together, this design study satisfactorily
which could pose a paradoxically increased risk responded to the design requirements for a face
for virus transmission during use or reuse . shield PPE. Although the product provides safety
[29]
features (dimensional features) described by the
Similar risks and concerns were also reviewed and WHO, health safety risks should be carefully
reported by Clifton et al. (2020) . The authors considered while using this product in health
[30]
reported that during this pandemic, the open service facilities and public areas. This research
distribution and propagation of PPE prototypes provides a useful product design case study for
happened before validation and hypothesis informing further research on design, prototyping,
formulation (in the context of both engineering and manufacture of simple medical equipment such
and biological considerations) that emphasized as face shields for battling coronavirus-like viral
on the fundamentally important factors for
prototype testing, such as number needed to treat pandemics by employing advanced engineering
and reduce harm for patients, and the approval of design, simulation, and AM applications.
health service authorities had not been considered. Acknowledgments
Hence, it was possible to highlight the need for
universal standardization for PPE, such as medical This research study was supported financially by
face shield products. True innovation can prevail The Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit
over brief notoriety and avoid unintentional harm of Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey. In addition,
from good intentions led by poor science . the authors wish to acknowledge the Department of
[30]
This study provided an original design which Agricultural Machinery and Technology Engineering
was developed based on scientific principles of at Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey, for the

48 International Journal of Bioprinting (2020)–Volume 6, Issue 4