University creates thousands of face shields for frontline workers

The university also used injection moulding techniques to make the shields – which have now been donated to key workers across the region, including 5,000 at Wolverhampton Council.

They are being used by frontline staff to keep them and the people they support safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr Syed Hasan, head of the School of Engineering at the University of Wolverhampton, said: "School of Engineering academic Dr Graham Sparey-Taylor used the first lockdown in the spring to practise 3D printing face shields at home with his sons.

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"To help the School of Engineering 3D print as many face shields as possible, our Alumni Association launched a fundraising campaign to help purchase materials – we asked our alumni, staff and friends of the university to make a donation, and thanks to their generous support we received £9,411.

"Initially, we manufactured 1,000 face shields, which were donated to care homes across Wolverhampton and Telford, and then, using our industry contacts, we began using injection moulding techniques to mass manufacture face shields, producing another 9,000 which we donated to the councils in the University's main campus locations – Wolverhampton, Walsall and Telford."

Councillor Linda Leach, Wolverhampton Council's cabinet member for adult services, added: "10,000 face shields were manufactured thanks to the generous donations of alumni, staff and friends of the University of Wolverhampton, and we were grateful to receive 5,000 of these.

"We have distributed them predominantly to local domiciliary agencies and care homes but also to our frontline care staff, waste management operatives and members of our school crossing service.

“On their behalf, I would like to say a huge thanks to everyone at the University of Wolverhampton for their efforts, and thank you to everyone who made a donation to make this possible.”