Grant: Applied Research Rapid Response to COVID-19
Camosun College
$74,753.00
Scalable and Sustainable Injection Moulded Face Shield Manufacturing for COVID-19
FY 2020-21
Summary
In early 2020, companies, institutions, and hobbyists worldwide reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic by producing a wide range of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), primarily face shields, in a rapid response to supply chain shortages. Many of these designs utilized 3D printing technologies that made the PPEs costly, slow to produce, and often incompatible with sterilization processes due to the inherent porosity of the printing process. Using an entirely different process, Camosun College in collaboration with industry partner AP Plastics (APP) and the Vancouver Island Health Authority (Island Health) designed and rapidly produced over 9,000 face shields to address regional supply chain shortages in this crisis. With immediate needs satisfied, AP Plastics approached Camosun College identifying the need for a solution to the PPE shortage; one that fully conformed to the requirements and recommendations of Health Canada and the World Health Organization. Given the predicted second wave of cases for fall 2020, it was clear there needed to be a better solution. AP Plastics proposed a new injection moulded (IM) design addressing standard face shield concerns, reducing cost and increasing production speed. This applied research project utilizes generate-and test-methodology, combining expertise from Camosun Innovates (CI), APP, Island Health, and testing firm Intertek (to certify design and function). CI will pursue research and development of a face shield that is: inexpensive to produce, scalable for global manufacturing, optically correct, non-fogging, modular, and meets all health and safety standards. CI, APP, and Island Health are collaborating to research, design and fabricate next-generation face shields for health care workers and front-line staff. Challenges include ideation and design in response to the needs of industry, health authorities, and health care workers as well as materials testing, mould design and fabrication, iterative prototyping, and international certification for use in health fields.
Program
Applied Research Rapid Response to COVID-19
Recipient
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
555444-2020
Name nom
Gale, Richard
Department département
Head Office
Organization id
10222
Institution établissement
Camosun College
Province en
British Columbia
Province fr
Colombie-Britannique
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2020
Competition year année de concours
2020
Award amount
74753
Program id
COVPJ
Program name en
Applied Research Rapid Response to COVID-19
Program name fr
Recherche appliquée en réponse rapide à la COVID-19
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
1597
Committee name en
College and Community Social Innovation Fund
Committee name fr
Programme d'innovation dans les collèges et la communauté Fonds d'innovation sociale
Area of application code
500
Area of application group en
Manufacturing processes and products
Area of application group fr
Procédés et produits industriels
Area of application en
Manufacturing processes and products
Area of application fr
Procédés et produits industriels
Research subject code
2002
Research subject group en
Materials science and technology
Research subject group fr
Science et technologie des matériaux
Research subject en
Materials processing
Research subject fr
Transformation des matériaux
Installment
inst:1 - 1
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Scalable and Sustainable Injection Moulded Face Shield Manufacturing for COVID-19
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
In early 2020, companies, institutions, and hobbyists worldwide reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic by producing a wide range of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), primarily face shields, in a rapid response to supply chain shortages. Many of these designs utilized 3D printing technologies that made the PPEs costly, slow to produce, and often incompatible with sterilization processes due to the inherent porosity of the printing process. Using an entirely different process, Camosun College in collaboration with industry partner AP Plastics (APP) and the Vancouver Island Health Authority (Island Health) designed and rapidly produced over 9,000 face shields to address regional supply chain shortages in this crisis. With immediate needs satisfied, AP Plastics approached Camosun College identifying the need for a solution to the PPE shortage; one that fully conformed to the requirements and recommendations of Health Canada and the World Health Organization. Given the predicted second wave of cases for fall 2020, it was clear there needed to be a better solution. AP Plastics proposed a new injection moulded (IM) design addressing standard face shield concerns, reducing cost and increasing production speed. This applied research project utilizes generate-and test-methodology, combining expertise from Camosun Innovates (CI), APP, Island Health, and testing firm Intertek (to certify design and function). CI will pursue research and development of a face shield that is: inexpensive to produce, scalable for global manufacturing, optically correct, non-fogging, modular, and meets all health and safety standards. CI, APP, and Island Health are collaborating to research, design and fabricate next-generation face shields for health care workers and front-line staff. Challenges include ideation and design in response to the needs of industry, health authorities, and health care workers as well as materials testing, mould design and fabrication, iterative prototyping, and international certification for use in health fields.
