Our Covid 19 Visors can be found at https://hawksley.co.uk/products/covid-19-face-visor#description
It's estimated that the Corona Virus arrived to the UK on the 29th of February. Since then the virus has spread rapidly and has hospitalised thousands. This has placed major pressure on hospitals across the UK.
The surge in global demand for ventilators, face masks, beds and staff has led to our domestic hospitals crippled. At Hawksley we are eager to help, with such long lead times for PPE, we decided to take matters into our own hands.
Our junior engineer, Harris Ryder, with a Masters in Manufacturing Engineering and Technology at the University of Cambridge set out to produce an automated manufacturing system able to rapidly produce visors using Hawksley's in-house prototyping facility.
Quick internet research led us to a Swedish company named 3DVerkstan, who's open source Covid-19 visor design appeared excellent. (Link to them at bottom)
The visor was put together by two components; a 3D printed frame and a transparent plastic sheet.
Harris added a range of improvements to the design, to make it lighter, cheaper and faster to manufacture on Hawksley's 3D printers. After many prototypes, the design was perfect.
With the current 3D printing setup an estimated production capacity of 30 units/day is estimated. However, if the printer could be automated to run 24hrs a day with no human intervention, capacity could be doubled to 60 units/day.
The 3D printer was upgraded with a mechanical shield and new software to allow for automated print removal.
Link to open source protective visor frame: https://3dverkstan.se/protective-visor/protective-visor-versions/
Link to 3D printed parts: https://www.myminifactory.com/object/3d-print-116640