Grapevine, TX, May 1, 2020 – If necessity is the mother of invention, then the COVID-19 crisis could be the Maker community’s finest hour. Part hacker, part tinkerer, the Maker culture is DIY’s tech-savvy environmentally innovative stepbrother. The demand for respirator masks, ventilators, and medical equipment is stoking the synergy of the Maker community worldwide.
In the spirit of “For Humanity, Not Profit,” MakerMask.com has released a respirator mask design that can be 3D printed in just three hours. BILT Incorporated is providing the 3D interactive assembly instructions for all those separate parts via the free BILT app.
While not for use in a clinical or hospital setting, The National Institutes of Health has approved the 3D-made respirators for use by front-line essential service providers including law enforcement, fire & rescue, and emergency responders as well as food handlers & delivery services.
“If you have a 3D printer and you want to help save lives, we can help you,” says Aaron Gutsu, Director of Brand Support Sales at BILT Inc. “It’s an opportunity to give back. We’re anxious to enhance Maker Mask’s efforts to get a high-quality, open-source mask design out to the millions of 3D printing enthusiasts around the world.”
The NIH has several respirator models on their 3D Print Exchange site (3dprint.nih.gov), but BILT chose to provide assembly instructions for the Maker Mask because it is low-cost (between $2-$3 a piece), buildable with components readily available at the hardware store, reusable, and adaptable to a variety of filters that can be used and replaced. Maker Masks can also be custom-fit to an individual’s face, similar to a mouth guard. But it is not printed in one piece; the 3D printed parts must be assembled.
“You can find a tremendous number of amazing things to 3D print with all kinds of information on how to print them, but the instructions on how to assemble the parts once you’ve printed them are usually lacking,” says Danny Ortega, VP of Training & Instruction Design at BILT Inc. “Our 3D interactive instructions help makers and their helpers to quickly assemble the numerous pieces that go into the multi-object projects.”
BILT’s 3D instructions are voice & text-guided and enable users with the ability to drag to rotate images 360º, pinch to zoom in & out, and tap on a part for details. Beginning with a product overview, users can preview the product time estimation, tools required, and parts included. The BILT app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.