3D printing to support frontline workers during Covid-19

Justin Ruscheinski is 3D printing to help those who work in healthcare and on the frontlines during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Many nurses have said that since they are working long overtime shifts during the pandemic, their ears have turned raw and painful from having the elastic strings of their face masks looped around their ears all day and night.

To solve this problem, Justin is using his 3D printer at home to make ear savers for surgical face masks that can wrap around and act as a banded support behind the head, to alleviate pain to the ears by not needing to have the elastic strings looped around the ears, as how it’s normally worn. The newly added ear saver, which is made of plastic, is attached to the face mask by locking the strings of the mask onto the clip.

When asked what motivated him to take on this project, Justin said “I’m just a happy guy with a 3D printer looking to support the frontline workers in any way I can. I want to support them on all the amazing things they’re doing.”

So far, he has made over 200 ear savers and receives requests daily for them. He has been donating them to nurses in Surrey and other cities in the lower mainland. And has set up an email (justin@3dprintingwithjustin.com) for healthcare workers to send in requests on how many they need. Ear savers can either be delivered or picked up.

Currently, Justin has one 3D printer and it takes a couple of hours to a few days to make a bunch of ear savers. And he might start printing a few different models for testing. To be able to make more ear savers, he has ordered another 3D printer which is expected to be delivered by April 11th, and that will allow him to push out 20 pieces every 11 hours if he runs at full force. In addition to that, he wishes to order more printers to help healthcare workers.

To help offset costs of 3D printers, material, and production, he has set up a GoFundMe page for those who would like to support his initiative and would like to gladly thank those who do. (https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-to-support-our-front-line-workers)