3D Printed Face Shields for Frontline Covid

Thank you for the outpour of generosity from each individual and also companies who have donated towards this cause. We are touched by the unity and perseverance this initiative has demonstrated.

We want to be fully transparent with the allocation of your funds, because we are all in this together and can only go far when we band together and combine our efforts.  

LNG Studios is not a manufacturer or factory, we are a creative visualization studio operating our business with a physical office located in Vancouver. Our primary business focuses in Architectural 3D renderings and 3D printing for architects and real estate developers.  When we first found the open source 3D print file for the PRUSA face shields, we tested out a few prototypes and we hand delivered these to the local hospitals for the health care workers to try out. Only after receiving confirmation that the face shields work and can actually be used at the individual hospitals, did we decide to call out to the rest of the 3D printing community to help us with producing higher quantities.  We have now converted one of our boardrooms into a full time printing area and have bought supplies to keep up with demand.  

Please note that these face shields have 3 different material components, as well as requirements for assembly. 

Here is a breakdown of the components and costs involved:

1. PLA filament for the 3D printed visor (material cost)
2. PETG clear sheets 0.5mm (supply and laser cutting costs provided by another supplier)
3. Elastic bands for the back of the face shield (material cost)
4. Labour costs for assembly (*as we are blessed to still have an operational business during this covid19 crisis, and our staff are still working full time, we want to ensure our staff remains on payroll)  
5. Administrative labour costs for coordination and delivery

As we streamline our processes, assembly, and coordination, we are looking into ways of modifying the design and fine tuning our 3D printers so that the cost per face shield will be decreased.  Our next initiative is to try to print a FULLY plastic face shield without the use of elastic bands as we have heard feedback from the hospitals that fabric could be an incubator of COVID 19 virus, and the key is to provide healthcare workers with RE-USABLE face shields rather than one time use PPE.

We have chosen GoFundMe as the donation platform to provide an abundance of transparency. 

We want to assure everyone involved that we are not trying to make a profit off this cause and if anyone out there is able to provide us a better solution for the raw materials please inform us ASAP. Our own LNG Studios staff have families and friends who are working tirelessly in the different hospitals across the city, and we just want to contribute and help where we can.

Front line medical workers are working tirelessly to save lives. Now more than ever, they need our help in their fight against COVID-19.

Protecting our front line medical workers
Hospitals and health clinics across the lower mainland have put out a call for help. There is a massive shortage of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) supplies in facilities to adequately protect front line medical workers. With traditional supply chains facing limitations, the 3D printing community needs to come together.

"We are very low on equipment, everyone at Vancouver General Hospital has to wear a mask and face shield. These face shields are needed more than ever because they can be reused." - Leonel Leyson, RN at Vancouver General Hospital for the CSICU

How we're helping
We’re using our 3D printers to print these face shields for our health care workers. We’ve partnered with five local hospitals who have already tested our prototypes and are in need and waiting for these supplies. Using open source design available from Prusa, we have the capacity to print up to 60 per day. But this isn’t nearly enough.

We need to increase production to get these face shields in the hands of thousands of doctors and healthcare workers. We’re calling on the 3D printing community in Vancouver as well as other businesses to help fund this project. Together, our coalition will help save more lives and make a bigger impact.

What we are making


The face shields we’re printing consist of a reusable visor with extra face shields. This means the use of a single visor can be extended by simply replacing the face shields. The prototype face shield design is officially known as the PRUSA Protective Face Shield and has received two verifications in the Czech Republic for its effectiveness and usability.

Each face shield includes three key parts:
1. PLA 3D printed parts using Prusa open source files
2. PETG 0.5mm clear sheets
3. Elastic band for the headset to accommodate size adjustability

We are also partnering with local plastic suppliers that will supply and laser cut the acrylic sheets to spec, as we plan to offer additional replacement sheets for each face shield.

Companies that are helping make this happen
LNG Studios has now dedicated all five of their 3D printing machines to produce these face shields which will be distributed to Richmond Hospital, Vancouver General Hospital, St. Pauls Hospital, Lions Gate Hospital and Surrey Memorial. Gryphon Developments has committed to sponsoring the cost of the first batch of 100 face shields. And we need others to join the cause!

"This is a time where coming together with innovative ideas matters most. In this case, time is of the essence and we are arming our local frontline health workers with face shields that will protect them in the line of duty. We’re calling on all 3D printers, innovators and creators to join us in this effort and help close the gap on the need for PPE across BC" - Leon Ng, LNG Studios

"Gryphon has always believed that dreams are born from collaboration. We encourage all industries to come together, and find creative solutions to protect frontline workers who are tirelessly working to protect us. We are all part of a greater community and together we will overcome this pandemic" - Jason Hsu, Gryphon Developments

We need your support! How to get involved
If you own a 3D Printer, plastic supplier or cutter, we need your help with manufacturing. 
• We can share the design file and printing instructions to get you started if you have a 3D printer.
• If you have a laser cutter and are able to cut 0.5mm and PETG clear sheets, please help us in cutting extra replacement sheets for each face shield.
• Once the final face shields are made, we’ll help connect you with the network of hospitals who are in need of these face shields.
Get in touch with us at [email redacted].

If you’re a company based in B.C. or Ontario, we also need your help with funding. Help us pay for the materials of our next batch of face shields. We’re breaking out production into batches of 100 face shields, with two extra replacement clear acrylic sheets per face shield. We’re looking for corporate partners to come on board and pledge their support.

For media inquiries, please contact [email redacted] or call [phone redacted]. For general inquiries and more information about this cause, please visit: http://www.lngstudios.com/innovating-against-covid