Watch how vital face shields for NHS are being made by a Yorkshire university

This is the life-saving process the University of Bradford uses to make hundreds of thousands of face shields for the NHS, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

When the world went into lockdown, engineers from the University of Bradford began working flat out on a design for face shields in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Engineers from the department of engineering and informatics, used advanced design and modelling software to come up with a new, cost-effective design.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Specialist mould sets from Germany were machined in-house and injection moulding equipment was deep cleaned.

The University of Bradford has teamed up with companies and started the mass production of thousands of face shields for the NHS. Photo credit: otherThe University of Bradford has teamed up with companies and started the mass production of thousands of face shields for the NHS. Photo credit: other
The University of Bradford has teamed up with companies and started the mass production of thousands of face shields for the NHS. Photo credit: other

Now their design is being mass produced in collaboration with two local companies, ActiveCell Technologies and Teconnex, with one unit made every 30 seconds.

The CE mark, which is a certification mark that shows that the manufacturer has checked that these products meet the European Union (EU) safety, health or environmental requirements, means they now have access to a wider range of markets for the product.

The university has already produced tens of thousands and are on the brink of signing a deal to make another 400,000.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Professor Tim Gough, head of Mechanical & Energy Systems said the project started after the university wanted to get involved with face shield manufacture owing to shortages in NHS and social care settings.

Specialist mould sets from Germany were machined in-house and injection moulding equipment was deep cleaned. Photo credit: otherSpecialist mould sets from Germany were machined in-house and injection moulding equipment was deep cleaned. Photo credit: other
Specialist mould sets from Germany were machined in-house and injection moulding equipment was deep cleaned. Photo credit: other

Prof Gough said: "We started 3D printing but soon realised we were only going to be able to produce low volumes of maybe 100 per day, so moved to injection moulding and are now producing 2,000 per day.

"Existing designs were also low quality and expensive so we’re now producing a much better quality product in much higher volumes."

Prof Gough is one of a team of six who are carrying out the work on campus, which also includes Professor Ben Whiteside, research engineer Michael Hebda, technical services manager David Barker and engineers John Hornby and Glen Thompson.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Prof Whiteside, Polymer MNT research director, said the project posed significant challenges, not least because demand was so high for this piece of equipment.

A team of engineers from the University of Bradford are working around the clock to mass produce face shieldsto help fulfil vital NHS orders for PPE.Photo credit: otherA team of engineers from the University of Bradford are working around the clock to mass produce face shieldsto help fulfil vital NHS orders for PPE.Photo credit: other
A team of engineers from the University of Bradford are working around the clock to mass produce face shieldsto help fulfil vital NHS orders for PPE.Photo credit: other

He said: "We looked at existing designs and then improved them, including key features which would prove useful. We’re very happy with the design. It’s low cost, easy to sterilise and recycle and it offers a few features other visor systems don't have."

One complaint from people who have to wear masks underneath face shields for prolonged periods of time is chafing caused by elastic straps worn around the ears - the new face shields incorporate nubs to wrap face mask straps around, thus eliminating the problem.

A further design has also been produced allowing acetate sheets used in overhead projectors to be attached in case other visors are unavailable.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

To date, the university has fulfilled orders for 10,000 and 5,000 units for the NHS and Bradford Council but it is close to signing a deal for a further 400,000 units.

______________________________

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.