Engineers at the University of Liverpool are using their expertise in 3D printing and laser cutting technologies to produce protective visors for use by local hospitals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The protective visors, developed in conjunction with NHS staff at local hospitals (including the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital, Aintree University Hospital and Southport & Orrmskirk Hospital Trust), use a hybrid design approach with a laser cut top section and a 3D printed bottom section. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Laser cutting technology reduces the production process significantly from six hours to half an hour and local industry are helping to scale up production further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Staff and PhD students, based in the University\u2019s Active Learning Laboratory, are using their technical facilities and expertise to produce an initial batch of 50 to 100 protective visors per day, with the intention of increasing this to 300 per day over the coming weeks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The protective visors will be delivered to three hospitals in the local region in the next few days with other local hospitals soon to follow suit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Kate Black, an expert in additive manufacturing at the University of Liverpool, said: \u201cThanks to 3D printing and laser cutting technology, our team of engineers have been able to design a protective visor that can be produced in about half an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n