Given the health emergency situation generated by the pandemic of the COVID-19, AIMPLAS, Technological Institute of Plastic, makes available to the different administrations and health authorities both its knowledge about materials and its capacity for design, prototyping, manufacturing and material resources to facilitate the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Specifically, AIMPLAS is carrying out a feasibility study to be able to manufacture masks with interchangeable filters through injection processes. For this, AIMPLAS has already made its own design and contacts have been established with companies and professional training centers that can manufacture the molds, such as Vicedo and San José Schools. In addition, AIMPLAS technical staff is cutting and supplying transparent PET sheets from a coil donated by Arplast manufactures to facilitate the manufacture of protective visors and distribution to hospitals, while hospitals in Madrid have made contact with suppliers for the supply of PET sheets.
On the other hand, and as members of the National Federation of Innovative Business Groups and Clusters platform, the company elix polymers has requested the technology center to collaborate in the production of 3D ABS filaments for printing different types of materials such as valves, masks, etc.
Regarding its material resources, and given the shortage of protective material for health personnel, AIMPLAS has donated to health centers in Paterna a total of 5000 cuffs, 100 disposable gowns, 16 masks, 15 Tyvek suits, 15 liters of sanitizing gel and 10 goggles. Furthermore, the glove stocks have been communicated and made available to the Ministry.
Through the different groups that have been created in Telegram for the manufacture of protective equipment through additive manufacturing or 3D printing, AIMPLAS is carrying out advisory tasks on materials. Also through this platform, AIMPLAS has made its capacity for 3D printing of protective visors available to the different Valencian hospitals and new units are sent to them daily. In addition, the center is participating with its advice in Resistanceteam, a virtual community made up of more than 1800 people who are developing respirators, protective screens, masks, as well as valves, all using 3D printing technology.
