Industrial Design faculty and students from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and University of Santo Tomas (UST) are collaborating to make protective face shields for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) frontliners.
Due to the scarcity of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), individuals behind the project thought to utilize 3D printers and laser cutting files in producing face shields made out of laser-cut acrylic plastic.
(Here’s How You Can Help Our Health Workers and Frontliners Fighting COVID-19)
According to The Benildean, 300 sets of protective face shields have already been produced for frontliners. The students and faculty members aim to distribute more than 500 sets.
The team’s work was a set of original ideas that came together internally within faculty and alumni. It was actualized with the guidance of Program Chairperson of Industrial Design Romeo Catap Jr., who was instrumental in assembling volunteers.
“As to how it actually developed, within the Industrial Design faculty, members were doing separate initiatives along with alumni and eventually came into a united front when we all discussed and shared our ideas online,” Catap said.
Catap explained that they are also in coordination with De La Salle Philippines, DLSU-College of Engineering, Benilde’s Fashion Design and Merchandising, and the Benildean Industrial Designers who are producing materials and gathering a set of alumni and student volunteers to produce PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment) for hospitals and clinics for free.
They are all being backed-up by the School of Design and Arts Dean Ar. Asela Domingo and Associate Dean Ar. Choie Funk.
The group of volunteers resulted in a mix of Industrial Design faculty, students, and graduates led by Industrial Design professor and alumnus Joseph Rastrullo.
Industrial Design professor Manny Dacanay was ultimately responsible for the safe and durable design of the face shields.
You may contribute to this initiative by responding to their call for partners, sponsors, and even volunteers to donate time and materials to their initiative.
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