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H.B. Fuller employee uses a 3D printer to make face masks during the pandemic.

H.B. Fuller Employee Creates Face Shields with 3D Printer

Posted 16 Jun 2020 by Kimberlee Sinclair, Director, Global Communications

In March 2020 Americans were quickly becoming aware of the COVID-19 virus and the impact it would have on their daily lives. Authorities across the nation were encouraging individuals to social distance while health experts and government officials began gearing up for a fight like no other. Soon leading health experts began reporting shortages of personal protective equipment, or PPE. These shortages  were putting frontline health care workers at great risk, and limited their ability care for individuals infected with the virus.

Jason Sagstetter #IAMConnectingWhatMatters by making face shields with a 3D printer.

H.B. Fuller Senior IT Project Manager, Jason Sagstetter, armed with vast technical knowledge and a 3D printer he had recently received for his birthday set out to do his part.

Jason researched for a face-shield design he could use to manufacture at home with his new 3D printer. He selected a design that took two hours to create at a cost of less than 25 cents.  

Pieces for a facemask made with a 3D printer.

Using Adhesive Knowledge to Perfect the Product  

As the pandemic worsened Jason knew that despite his greatest efforts, he would need assistance from his colleagues at H.B. Fuller. Jason consulted with the application specialists to discuss how learnings of how hot melts work was similar to the process of creating the face shields.

Ear strain relievers for masks made with a 3D printer.

The Results

Working diligently, Jason was able to improve the production process, ultimately reducing production time to just seven minutes per shield.  He has created more than 250 NIH certified face shields and approximately 15,000 ear strain relievers to be used in U.S. healthcare and plans to continue as additional manufacturing material becomes available. 

H.B. Fuller is proud to have so many employees around the world that are stepping up and serving the communities where we work and live during the pandemic. For more stories follow #IAMConnectingWhatMatters on social media.

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