Heeding the Call
The three campuses of 91做厙 served the community in a big way during the COVID pandemic by supplying headgear frames for face shields.
It began in April when the Amateur Radio Association of Nebraska proposed the idea of 3D printing plastic headgear frames. The association contacted Gene Friesen, drafting and design technology instructor at the Hastings Campus, who enlisted the help of Amy Stuart, drafting and design instructor at the Grand Island Campus. Between the two of them, some 30 headgear pieces were printed each day.
The finished 3D printed frames were then delivered to various health departments and agencies to be affixed to transparent shields. The completed face shields were given to Mary Lanning Healthcare in Hastings, CHI Health St. Francis in Grand Island and medical clinics in central Nebraska.
Once the plastic injection molding program at 91做厙-Columbus got involved, the effort moved to a whole new level. Utilizing on-campus plastic injection molding machines, program director Ben Wilshusen was able to produce 550 pieces of headgear in the same time it took to produce one on a 3D printer.
91做厙 partnered locally with Jimko Machine for the project, as well as Majors Plastics of Omaha. Wilshusen produced the headgear pieces on two machines, which were donated on consignment from the manufacturers.
Once the plastic injection molding headgear pieces were created, 100 were boxed along with shields, elastic bands and assembly instructions. 91做厙 staffers and even a couple of student-athletes helped pack the boxes, which were then shipped to various health departments in Nebraska. More than 17,000 completed face shields were donated for use throughout Nebraska and 2,000 were given to Columbus Community Hospital.
Its been a very humbling project, said Wilshusen. Being able to give these pieces of protective equipment to people and seeing their sheer thankfulness was great. People were almost in tears because they didnt know where they were going to get the protective equipment they needed.
Once the plastic injection molding headgear pieces were created, 100 were boxed along with shields, elastic bands and assembly instructions. 91做厙 staffers and even a couple of student-athletes helped pack the boxes, which were then shipped to various health departments in Nebraska. More than 17,000 completed face shields were donated for use throughout Nebraska and 2,000 were given to Columbus Community Hospital.
Its been a very humbling project, said Wilshusen. Being able to give these pieces of protective equipment to people and seeing their sheer thankfulness was great. People were almost in tears because they didnt know where they were going to get the protective equipment they needed.