ITU participates in 3D-printing visors for healthcare workers

Two ITU employees are using ITU’s 3D-printers to make visors. Their effort is a part of a larger operation by a national community volunteering to produce protection for healthcare workers exposed to the coronavirus.

Written 3 April, 2020 15:48

There is a global shortage of protection against the Coronavirus, and therefore two ITU researchers have decided to take part in printing visors on six of ITU’s 3D-printers.

The production is a contribution to the “DK Makers mod Corona” community, where owners of 3D-printers in Denmark can participate in printing visors. The visors are donated to hospital, dentists, the police force and other organizations where employees are at high risk.

Harvey Bewley, part-time lecturer at ITU, and Halfdan Mouritzen, manager of IxD Lab, are the two people behind ITU’s contribution. According to Harvey Bewley, the ITU printers can produce around 50 visors a day. The entire community produce approximately 2500 visors a day.

“It’s amazing to see the results. At first, I was a bit skeptical. I thought our contribution would be a drop in the ocean. But the community is very well-organized, so it actually makes a difference,” Harvey Bewley says.

Harvey Bewley and Halfdan Mourtizen brought home three 3D-printers each, in order to  maintain the production even though ITU is closed down. When the visors are printed, they are sent to “DK Makers mod Corona” where they conduct a quality check and disinfect the products before they are taken into use. The design is specially made for 3D-printers, and it has been approved by Region Sjælland. 

According to Harvey Bewley, they will be able to produce at least 500 visors on the six 3D-printers from ITU, and they will be able to change the production quickly, if necessary.

“Right now, the health sector is in need of visors, but if the needs changes we can change the production almost immediately”