DOST – MIRDC DOST – ITDI DOST – PCIEERDDOST steps up face shield producon for COVIDfrontliners

Shifting  to high gear in supporting the Philippines’ frontliners in baling the COVID pandemic, the Department of Science and Technology accelerated its producon of face shields to be distributed in various hospitals in the country. Two research and development institutes of DOST and one research laboratory in a state university have devoted their resources in creang 3D printed face shields.
The   DOST   Metals   Industry   Research   and   Development   Center   (DOST-MIRDC),   led   by   its   Execuve Director Engr. Robert O. Dizon, is now doing mass producon of face shields as it fabricated an injection mold that can make 2, 500 face shields per day. MIRDC started producing face shields through the Addive Manufacturing Center which 3D printed theface shields at 50 per day.

 Increased   producon   volume   of   these   face   shields   is   made   possible   through   the   DOST-MIRDC’stechnology partners:  the Omnifab, which fabricated another injecon mold; while the Mega samsonite Plant in San Pedro, Laguna offered its facility as site for mass producon.

Another 2, 500 face shieldscan be  produced, for a total of 5,000 face shields daily through simultaneous producons at the DOST-MIRDC in Bicutan, Taguig, and in San Pedro, Laguna.

The   Industrial   Technology   Development   Instute   (ITDI),   another   DOST   research   and   development institute, has already 3D printed 100 pieces of face shields which were delivered to the Phlippine Heart Center.

Led by ITDI Director Dr. Annabelle V. Briones, the agency worked 24 hours to produce the face shieldsand more  will  be produced  by the Philippine  Science  High  School  Main  Campus with the materials provided by ITDI.

Bataan   Peninsula   State   University   -   Addive   Manufacturing   Research   Laboratory   (BPSU-AMREL),   a project funded by the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Industry, Energyand   Emerging   Technology   Research   and   Development   and   led   by   its   Execuve   Director   Dr.   Enrico Paringit, has created a process that combines 3D prinng and injecon molding in creang face shields at a faster pace but in a more customizable manner.