Category 

Labware & Devices

Device Use 

Safety and Personal Protective Equipment

Keyword(s) 

Face, Shield, 3D, print, fast, PPE

3D-printed headband for protective Face Shield

This latest iteration of the ASU 3D printed headband (v4.2.2), has been designed as a support for a flexible face shield “lens” and a flexible “cowl” to protect front-line health workers from toxic aerosols and splatter.

ASU v4.0.  (update: v4.1 features improved retainer “tang” design.  v4.2.2 features refinement of "tang" and holder for vizor and shortened side pieces)

Other designers (e.g., NIH ID 3DPX-013359) have incorporated a “cowl” or shield to cover hole in top of mask assembly as part of the head band design, but this has added significantly to the “build-times” using standard home 3D printers. 

In any case, many designs currently circulating on the Internet leave gaps at the top of the mask, exposing workers to aerosols and splatter. Our recommendation is to utilize either the currently available design (3DPX-013359) on the NIH 3D Print Exchange or utilize this design which can be printed in less than half the time (less than 3 hours). This design incorporates features from the Prusa RC3 (3DPX – 013409), a French design called “Noisettetbou” (originally found on the Prusa website, but no longer available), the design by TPrestero on the NIH site (3DPX-013359), and a number of our own improvements including the following: reducing vertical dimension to improve print time, incorporating angled support ring to hold both a face shield or (optional) protective cowling, improved temple hooks, improved retainer/tang design and number to better secure thicker lens materials, and a simplified side profile (no slots or additional printing).  

Model Origin 

Custom illustration/CAD

Segmentation Software 

Cura 4.5

3D Modeling/CAD Software 

Rhino 3D; Fusion360; SolidWorks