Physics Department steps up 3D printing for COVID-19 visors

Department revives broken printer to produce 200 frames for PPE drive

With the global movement of COVID-19, organizations are morphing almost overnight from business-as-usual operations to reinventions of their utility. The world has seen Gucci sewing medical masks alongside luxury handbags, while respirators roll off of Ford Motors assembly lines. Ryerson University’s Department of Physics has also done a little recent pivoting of its own.

But as earlier calls went out for donations of personal protective equipment (PPE), the department had no strongbox of gloves or gowns to draw from. “Unlike chemistry or biology, our physics labs don’t usually stock large supplies of PPE,” says department technologist, Kevin Liu, “but we still had a sense of community and wanted to see what we could do to help.”

After a departmental meeting to brainstorm possibilities, Liu soon discovered Toronto’s Michael Garron Hospital PPE Drive. He’s since been busy cranking up production on the department’s 3D printer to donate a first round of 200 visor frames for the cause.

Asked about the flexibility required to integrate visor making into his regular duties, Liu speaks matter-of-factly. “I don’t really see it as a job switch. My specialization is in fabrication for physics research. If we need acrylic casing for experiments or an optics adapter, I go ahead and make it. We just do whatever’s needed to keep things running smoothly.”

But the department’s humanitarian project started out with a bumpier ride.  

3D printer revived for good cause

Before Liu could begin printing, a major impediment surfaced: the lab’s 3D printer was out of commission with a broken heater. The university had already moved to an essential services model and many were reluctant to go near the downtown core. Liu was not deterred. During a sharp ascent in Toronto’s coronavirus case count, he made the trek down to campus.

“Once I got the green light for the project, I went in, picked up the printer, and began playing around with it at home to get it running.”
Even after restoration, Liu found himself continuously tweaking the first-generation machine. “It’s an older model, so it’s a bit more finicky. But I found lots of good online troubleshooting resources.”

After several false starts and numerus calibrations of nozzle height, print bed topology and other fine nuances, Liu began seeing the fruits of his labour. Thin, black, plastic visors were soon taking form, one by one.

“In Physics, we don’t usually run our 3D printer this much. Every now and then, but never for mass production,” says Liu. “When I first started, it took 40 minutes to print a single visor. But I began trying to push the limits on speed. I had to throw out a few because the faster you go, the more things can go wrong. But I finally got it down to 10 minutes each without compromising the quality.”

Liu was soon running shop all day inside his home, toggling charitable work alongside other projects. “As long as you can take the noise of the printer, it’s ok. It’s for a good cause.”

Further contributions possible

Liu has since delivered the first batch of 200 visor frames to Michael Garron Hospital, but his physics mind continues to imagine new ideas for the fight against COVID-19. “I heard workers are finding the mask ear straps uncomfortable. You could easily make ones that wrap behind the whole head instead by using strips cut out from two-litre pop bottles. No 3D printing required.” Liu shares. “I was also thinking I could design a hand sanitizer bottle adapter that lets hospitals refill empties rather than throw them out.”

Liu’s ideas may yet actualize. For now, he’s happy the Physics Department could take part in the community effort to print visors. While the cost in dollars and cents was manageable, the real sacrifice was in the time, effort and commitment to surmount challenges and provide tangible help for frontline workers.

In characteristic physicist style, Liu concludes: “I wouldn’t say I take a utilitarian approach, but workers need the protective gear, and we’re here. In Physics, we had the resources, so why don’t we use it to help out? We want to support our frontline workers.”