“Most of the people on campus involved in this project have FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) machines which extrude a plastic bead like toothpaste which can be used to make the face-shield headbands,” explained New Media Lecturer Mark Hursty. “In the New Media Lab and the CrAFT Studio in Ramsey Library, we have resin printers which make highly detailed, almost cast-like plastic shapes and that’s where the nasal swabs will be done. Amanda Glenn-Bradley of Ramsey Library’s CrAFT Studio has taken their 3D printer to her home to work on the PPE project there. We’re also test printing some N95 cartridge-style masks that are in very short supply."
The face shields have come first, and UNC Asheville is fabricating parts for 400 face shields, most of which are being glued together and assembled by hand. STEAM Studio Technician Leslie Rosenberg has been part of STEAM’s work to cut the clear plastic sheets, and delivering parts to Bevin’s home for assembly.
Bevin’s partner Angela Kramer who also works at Moog Music, is currently staying home/staying safe and using the time and her expertise to glue and assemble the face masks by hand. “She’s got the manufacturing experience – she’s been doing it for decades in various environments,” said Bevin. “She knows how to take this on and has been bustin’ it to get these assembled and packaged. The needed materials are being paid for through a GoFundMe page and personal funds.”
Those receiving the PPE locally have picked the shields up, using social distancing, from the Bevin/Kramer home, and Bevin arranged shipment for the masks to Greenville. Now, Hursty is arranging some packets of PPE for the medical students to pick up from his home drive-through style. “Then we’re going to have a Zoom meeting to show them how to assemble them,” he said. “Then they’ll return them to campus to be sterilized either in the autoclave or UVC light disinfecting booth – Melanie Heying, manager of the Chemistry Lab is helping with that. They’ll be put in bags and the medical students will bring them to rural practices that need them.”
Kacey Scott, a UNC School of Medicine student, has recruited a team of 20 of her classmates as volunteers.
“Since our clinical rotations are canceled and we have all of this time on our hands, we are all looking for ways to help combat the pandemic,” said Scott. “Once I learned about the effort that UNCA is part of – I graduated from UNCA in December 2010 – I decided to try to help. I’m trying to find funding to support the effort, and I’m working with another med student on a needs assessment – calling medical practices in the area to get a feel for what resources they need.
“Some of the shields are more suitable for non-medical use so we may give those to people working in the community who are still sharing physical space with others as part of their jobs, like teachers handing out meals to students, or supermarket workers,” said Scott. “I’ve been in awe and really proud of the way our community has come together, volunteering not for their own profit but to help others in the community – that’s been really great.”
Others involved off campus in producing face shields include renowned artist and MacArthur “genius grant” recipient Mel Chin who has worked extensively in partnership with STEAM Studio. On campus, Associate Professor of Computer Science Kenneth Bogert and student Justin Hoilman, 3d Print Lab technician for the Department of New Media, have been producing PPE.
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