Local Manufacturer Tronix3D Helping with COVID Healthcare Needs
Tronix3D is printing medical face shields based on their innovative, time-saving design
Mt. Pleasant, PA – April 21st, 2020 – Local 3D printing contract manufacturer Tronix3D has allocated resources to help with local COVID-19 needs.
The company just completed production of 6,000 face shields for medical workers at Excela Health. “When we found out there was a need for face shields, we took an existing face shield design and found a way to improve it to make it more efficient to produce,” says Buck Helfferich, president of Tronix3D. “The new design requires fewer resources, both machine and material, and allows us to produce these shields at volume. The result is a high-end product at a very low cost.”
The Tronix3D PPE (personal protective equipment) product is a single-use medical face shield. The company’s new design incorporates 3D printed clips, which brought production costs down by 70%, while increasing output per week by 400%. “We took a design that already existed to be printable for face shields, and we designed it to be printable in volume,” says Helfferich.
“3D printing is usually used for prototypes and small runs, so it was a tall demand for additive technology for us to print enough to make 750-1000 shields a night. We streamlined the design in order to print the parts faster and more efficiently on our machines, and the design snaps together so it isn’t as time-consuming to assemble.”
Tronix3D is partnering with Pittsburgh-based manufacturer Wabtec, who is cutting the shield material and assembling the parts. “By working with Wabtec, we can quickly provide local healthcare workers the equipment they require to safely care for those in need.”
For this initial order, Tronix3D did not charge for any overhead and all labor was donated by the company’s employees and their families. “Because of the stay at home order, everybody who helped was either in my family or my employees’ families. We felt like it was a great way to support the community during a difficult time.”
Tronix3D has been supporting the needs of COVID through two other initiatives with local colleges, as well. They responded to a request from Penn State asking them to print 10-20 filter masks for Hershey Medical Center, and the company redesigned the mask and used their MJF technology to print these emergency masks within three short days of the received request.
Tronix3D also responded to a request from Youngstown State University to print a retrofit cartridge design meant to integrate N95 media into commercially-available 3M respirators. The same day the company received the order, they printed the parts, and a family member drove four hours to deliver them to YSU the next morning.
Tronix3D is continuing to support area healthcare organizations, and is currently processing an order from one of these organizations for 100,000 more masks.
About Tronix3D
Tronix3D is a 3D-printing contract manufacturer based in Mt. Pleasant, PA. They offer prototype, pre-launch, and production services in polymers and metals for both private and public sectors. The company is ITAR Registered, NIST 800-171 Compliant, and Joint Certification Program (JCP) Certified so they can supply to the Department of Defence. The company is fostering career development in the additive industry through its partnership with the Westmoreland County Community College’s Advanced Technology Center. Learn more at: www.tronix3d.com.