Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35600085›Full record

ArticleResults in engineering2022

COVID-19: Rapid prototyping and production of face shields

Sean O'Connor, Snehamol Mathew, Foram Dave, David Tormey, Una Parsons, Mel Gavin, Paul Mc Nama, Ruth Moran, Mark Rooney, Ross McMorrow and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Results in engineering, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 17% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Sean O'ConnorDepartment of Environmental Science, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91 YW50, Sligo, Ireland.
Snehamol MathewCentre for Precision Engineering, Materials and Manufacturing (PEM) Centre, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91 YW50, Sligo, Ireland.
Foram DaveCentre for Precision Engineering, Materials and Manufacturing (PEM) Centre, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91 YW50, Sligo, Ireland.
David TormeyCentre for Precision Engineering, Materials and Manufacturing (PEM) Centre, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91 YW50, Sligo, Ireland.
Una ParsonsFaculty of Engineering & Design, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91 YW50, Sligo, Ireland.
Mel GavinContract Research Unit, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91 YW50, Sligo, Ireland.
Paul Mc NamaContract Research Unit, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91 YW50, Sligo, Ireland.
Ruth MoranContract Research Unit, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91 YW50, Sligo, Ireland.
Mark RooneyYeats Academy of Arts Design & Architecture (YADA), Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91 YW50, Sligo, Ireland.
Ross McMorrowFaculty of Engineering & Design, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91 YW50, Sligo, Ireland.
John BartlettDepartment of Environmental Science, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91 YW50, Sligo, Ireland.
Suresh C PillaiCentre for Precision Engineering, Materials and Manufacturing (PEM) Centre, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91 YW50, Sligo, Ireland.
Atlantic Technological University

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) has become essential to reduce the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as it prevents the direct contact of body fluid aerosols expelled from carriers. However, many countries have reported critical supply shortages due to the spike in demand during the outbreak in 2020. One potential solution to ease pressure on conventional supply chains is the local fabrication of PPE, particularly face shields, due to their simplistic design. The purpose of this paper is to provide a research protocol and cost implications for the rapid development and manufacturing of face shields by individuals or companies with minimal equipment and materials. This article describes a best practice case study in which the establishment of a local manufacturing hub resulted in the swift production of 12,000 face shields over a seven-week period to meet PPE shortages in the North-West region of Ireland. Protocols and processes for the design, materials sourcing, prototyping, manufacturing, and distribution of face shields are described. Three types of face shields were designed and manufactured, including Flat, Laser-cut, and 3D-printed models. Of the models tested, the Flat model proved the most cost-effective (€0.51/unit), while the Laser-cut model was the most productive (245 units/day). The insights obtained from this study demonstrate the capacity for local voluntary workforces to be quickly mobilised in response to a healthcare emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indexed as

3D-printingCOVID-19Medical face shieldMicro-supply chainsPersonal protective equipment (PPE)

Identifiers

PMID35600085
PMCPMC9116053
OpenAlexW4280501953

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.