During the COVID-19 pandemic, I organized a community effort to 3D print personal protective equipment for healthcare workers facing critical shortages. Here are answers to the most common questions I received.
What can be 3D printed?
We focused primarily on two types of PPE:
- Face shields - Full face protection that can be sterilized and reused
- Mask ear savers - Devices that reduce strain on ears from mask elastic bands
These items were approved by local healthcare facilities and met their safety requirements.
How effective is 3D-printed PPE?
Face shields manufactured through 3D printing provided equivalent protection to commercial alternatives when following approved designs. The NIH and major health systems released approved designs specifically for 3D printing.
What materials did you use?
We primarily used PETG filament for face shields because it:
- Can withstand disinfection procedures
- Is more durable than PLA
- Has better chemical resistance
- Maintains shape under heat
How many items did you produce?
Our volunteer network of 3D printer owners produced:
- 500+ face shields
- 1,000+ ear savers
- Distributed to 15 healthcare facilities in New Jersey
What was the biggest challenge?
Coordination and quality control. We needed to ensure:
- Consistent dimensions across different printers
- Proper sterilization procedures
- Efficient distribution to facilities with greatest need
- Tracking which designs were approved by each facility
Lessons learned
- Open source community response works - Volunteers rapidly shared designs and manufacturing techniques
- Local manufacturing matters - 3D printing enabled rapid local production when supply chains failed
- Documentation is critical - Clear assembly and sterilization instructions were essential
- Temporary solution - 3D printing filled a gap until commercial supply chains recovered
Resources
For anyone interested in similar efforts:
- NIH 3D Print Exchange - Approved PPE designs
- Prusa Face Shield design - Most widely adopted design
- Local healthcare facility contacts for approval and distribution
This experience demonstrated how civic technology and maker communities can rapidly respond to emergencies. While 3D printing isn’t a long-term replacement for manufactured PPE, it proved invaluable during a critical shortage.
About Gavin Rozzi
I lead digital transformation initiatives that bridge the gap between policy objectives and technical execution. My work focuses on data science and analytics, digital transformation, full-stack web development, and policy implementation—creating intuitive, resident-first digital experiences while modernizing public sector operations.