Seattle/Everett COVID19 PPE Maker Supplies

Why this funding campaign: The shortage of Personal Protective Equipment for healthcare workers all across the country is the topic of every major news outlet and a high priority in every COVID-19 briefing we all hear. This equipment is absolutely crucial to the safety of our healthcare heroes and first responders in keeping them safe right NOW, and they can't wait to take care of patients after major manufacturing catches up.   How we started: A friend of ours on Kitsap Peninsula (Joey Sim) began a Facebook group to get 3D printer owners together to make PPE, and we saw the opportunity to contribute to our immediate area too. We started the "North Seattle South Snohomish County COVID19 PPE builders group " on Facebook and reached out to our Seattle-area and Snohomish County healthcare provider friends to see how we can help. Their replies have been astonishing: they need hundreds of these as soon as possible! Project overview: Just using our one 3D printer, some filament we had on hand, and a few clear mylar sheets, we spun up 10 face shields in our home in just 36 hours. We would have gone faster, but the original design we were following took 3 hours to print. The good news is that as we've learned more and networked with people through our Facebook group, we've found other designs authorized by the National Institutes of Health that are even faster to print than our original 10! We can now print an NIH-vetted face shield frame in 30 minutes! We're spreading the word in our group and getting people set up to print! How your contribution helps: As more people join our Facebook group and start printing for the project, we'll be buying 3D printers, bulk filament, clear plastic sheets, elastic, and shipping supplies. Your contribution will go directly toward covering these costs. When the need in hospitals decreases as major manufacturers catch up to the demand, we will switch to donating face shields and other PPE to nursing homes, food banks, school kitchens, and senior-assistance groups.  Beyond the crisis: We're committed to sharing what we're learning and helping this be duplicated in other parts of our country and in the world. We would love to see a future where using a machine like a 3D printer will be as second-nature as using an ink-jet printer is now. Any additional printers we purchase and extra filament will be donated after this crisis to educational programs to continue the reach and spark more imaginations. Please make a donation to our campaign today! Thank you for supporting this much-needed project! and PS: wash your hands :)  Original version we made (photo by Kelley Picasso) New 15 minute version (photo by Geisinger Health Systems/MatterHackers) New visor on printer print bed (photo by Brent Picasso) (Project cover photo by Anthony Derb, Highline Medical Center Surgical Services)