Southern Illinoisans join forces to create face shields for health care workers
Dav Glass uses a laser cutter in his garage workshop to create face shields for health care workers. -- Provided by Andrew Wilson
After hearing about the shortage of personal protective equipment to fight COVID-19, Bernie Hennenberger’s best friend, Darren Haney, had an idea to help local hospitals during the pandemic. They could use their 3D printers to make face shields for health care workers.
“He was the one who set up a meeting with Southern Illinois Healthcare and delivered the first prototypes to the hospital,” Henniberger said.
On April 11, Haney died. Henniberger continued the project in memory of his best friend. He has now made and delivered about 200 face shields.
Some of the first face shields Henniberger and Haney printed took 30 minutes to create. After discussions with SIH, they changed the design. SIH requested they print a shield that took two and a half hours to complete.
“I’m glad to have two 3D printers. They’re like employees that don’t cost anything,” he said.
Henniberger still has about 40 face shields to deliver.
Dallas Terry, career education coordinator at Carbondale Community High School, started printing face shields after the school received a request from Southern Illinois Healthcare. He said they called several schools to see if they had 3D printers available for the project.
Terry brought two of the school’s 3D printers home and began making the framework for the shields. He said they inserted clear plastic into that framework. “They work very slowly,” he said.