Product Design Faculty to Produce Face Shields for Local Hospitals

Over the next month, a group of Product Design faculty will collectively produce 1,000 face shields for area hospitals as a gift from the UArts community. After discussions with other design, engineering, textile and fashion programs and makerspaces in the area, the team agreed that making face shields and delivering them to local practitioners would be the best path forward.

The group will use the university’s Makerspace, utilizing 3-D printers and laser cutters for the project. While following proper social distancing protocols at all times, Makerspace Director Scott Newman and Industrial Design/Product Design Shop Supervisor Justin Bernard will lead the production and delivery of the mask assemblies.

“I am proud to have all the UArts MDes PD COVID-19 Response Team members as colleagues, and my sincerest thank you goes out to them, and especially to Scott and Justin, for the work ahead,” said Mark Tocchet, dean of the School of Design.

The UArts MDes Product Design COVID-19 Response Team comprises Justin Bernard, Scott Newman,  Andrew Dahlgren, Phil Holcombe, Josh Koplin and Hsin-Chun Wang. Team members are not only skilled practitioners of product design—they are also entrepreneurs, engineers and fabricators with decades of manufacturing experience to guide them through this challenging process.

Production is anticipated to begin the week of April 20, and wrap up by the week of May 11.

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