Area 515 Face Shield COVID-19 FAQ
We have made over 6,000 face shields for Iowa Medical Workers!!!
We have shot past our goal and have ceased production. We believe local manufacturers can now fill the PPE gap much more efficiently than we can. We are no longer accepting new requests for face shields and have finished filling all the requests we have received.
We would like to thank everybody who has helped us in this project, especially the Iowa Department of Education. In addition to their regular jobs, the AEA van drivers have been busy delivering the face shields all over the state! We also thank all the Des Moines area schools and teachers who took home their 3D printers to keep them churning out face shield parts. We would also like to thank The Iowa Clinic, and Danfoss for their assistance.
How do I get some for my clinic/hospital/care facility/etc?
A number of local manufacturers have taken up the cause of making PPE. A partial list can be found here at the Iowa State University Center for Industrial Research and Service page. Look under “Iowa-based Products and Services.”
Another source of PPE can be your county emergency management coordinator. A list of the coordinators for every Iowa county can be found here: https://www.iowahealthcare.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/03/Emergency-Management-County-Coordinators-PPE.pdf
If you’re outside of Iowa, please look at https://masksfordocs.com/ for a local maker effort.
Weren’t you guys making face shields?
Yes we were, but at this point we believe local manufacturers are able to fill the gap in PPE supply far better than we are. Plus, purchasing from them has the added bonus of supporting the local economy.
Are you still filling orders? What happened to my request?
Yes, we will still fill all the requests that we received. If your face shields haven’t arrived yet, please be patient. We anticipate all requests will be filled by the end of April. If your request hasn’t arrived by then, please send an email to info@area515.org
Are you still taking 3D printed face shield parts?
Yes. Please drop off everything you have printed by Saturday, April 25th. After that we will no longer be accepting shield parts for assembly.
Do you have the instructions for disinfecting the face shields?
For the most up-to-date disinfection information please visit Prusa’s disinfection page, which is constantly being updated.
Can I give you money?
We certainly won’t say no. Except for what’s donated, members and volunteers are paying for these materials privately, not out of the maker space’s accounts. If you want to help, you can give the space $10 or so to help buy more materials, or reimburse members & schools for materials already purchased. Scroll down and click on the PayPal button that says “Donate” towards the top of the page.
We’ll give any excess funds we have after we’re done printing to local hospitals for recovery efforts.
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