The current outbreak of COVID-19 has highlighted an urgent need for personal protective equipment (PPE) among the medical teams working on the front lines to treat the disease. PPE shortages have been reported in hospitals throughout the globe, and groups of individuals and organizations worldwide have stepped up to assist. Here in North Carolina, UNC’s own Applied Physical Sciences department has been working in concert with the Be A Maker (BeAM) network and others to address the need for PPE by developing new equipment for large-scale production.

The BeAM space provides state-of-the-art facilities on UNC’s campus for the creation of novel tools for education, research, entrepreneurship, and recreation. The technical expertise, resources, and talent of APS and BeAM have made it an ideal launching point for the UNC community to help medical staff during a time of crisis. To this end, APS chair Professor Rich Superfine has been working with fellow APS faculty members and BeAM staff for the past several weeks to design and prototype a face shield for medical use. Glenn Walters (APS) and Kenny Langley (BeAM) used BeAM’s 3D printers and laser cutters to prototype face shields that were then tested by UNC medical staff, who are collaborating closely on these efforts. Featured here are Dr. Stephanie Davis, chair of pediatrics at UNC, and Dr. Benny Joyner, Chief of pediatric critical care at UNC, testing the face shields and making sure the design will fit their teams’ needs. Dr. Superfine and Dr. Ronit Freeman (APS Faculty) have been communicating closely with them to understand what parameters need to be optimized for the shields to offer maximum protection during complicated medical procedures.

Dr. Ronit Freeman wearing the face shield made in BeAM
Dr. Benny Joyner (left) and Dr. Stephanie Davis (right) testing the face shields

Mass-producing this PPE on a practical scale would not be possible without several key contributors. Engineers from NC State and Duke were consulted during the early stages of design. BeAM’s resources and equipment have allowed for rapid prototyping. Off-site contractors have been brought in, and their equipment and expertise will allow for the mass production of PPE parts. UNC medical students have worked closely with the design teams, offering their input and expertise, and serving as liaisons between the engineers and the physicians. The UNC community has risen to the challenge of assembling these parts en masse, in a way that both ensures quality and adheres to strict sanitary requirements. 

Here, again, UNC’s medical students have provided invaluable expertise by creating strict health and safety standards for production. Innovate Carolina has proven a key partner, collaborating with BeAM to track and manage parts, inventory, and the supply chain of volunteers.

It is a testament to the tremendous drive and talent of the UNC community – and the excellence of the network facilitated by APS and BeAM – that production has already begun on these vitally needed face shields. In the past week, Murray Hall has been converted into an assembly line, where students and other volunteers have been working daily to produce and pack this PPE. We hope that these efforts will make a difference to hospital workers throughout North Carolina in the coming weeks as they work to battle this pandemic.