DOST-MIRDC Produces 200k Face Shields to be Donated to the Regions
By: Vilma A. Sia
The DOST-MIRDC, led by its Executive Director, Engr. Robert O. Dizon, supports the needs of medical frontliners amid this COVID 19 pandemic. Answering the country’s need for supplies of protective personal equipment (PPEs), particularly face shields, the Center started the mass production of these medical face shields on May 15, 2020. The project was funded by the DOST-Philippine Council for Industry Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD).
Before deciding to mass-produce the face shields, the DOST-MIRDC was using 3D printing to make 50 pieces a day through the 3D printing technologies housed in the Additive Manufacturing Center (AMCen). From this, the Center transitioned to plastic injection technology. This initiative was carried out in cooperation with technology partners: the Omnifab, Inc., a 3D printing company who fabricated the first mold; and the Megasamsotite in San Pedro, Laguna, which offered its facilities for mass production. The other mold for the face shield frames was fabricated at the Die and Mold Solution Center (DMSC), a facility of the DOST-MIRDC. The shift from 3D printing to plastic injection technology ramped up production by up to 5,000 pieces of face shield frames per day. These are distributed to hospitals and other frontliners in the National Capital Region (NCR) and nearby regions.
Realizing the lack of supplies and the need for more PPEs especially for those located outside of the NCR, the MIRDC embarked on a project which aim is to produce 200,000 pieces of face shields to be distributed nationwide. The distribution of face shields in these regions will be coursed through the DOST Regional Office or directly to DOST Provincial Offices who will coordinate with the local offices of the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine National Police (PNP), and other medical and non-medical frontliners.
‘We sent a letter to Usec. Brenda L. Nazareth-Manzano, DOST Undersecretary for Regional Operations, to inform all DOST regional and provincial offices about our project. All of them quickly responded and sent us their list of possible recipients. We fabricated additional molds to meet the required volume,’ says Ms. Lina B. Afable, project leader and Chief of the Technology Diffusion Division of the DOST-MIRDC.
Sample of Face Shields for Distribution to Regions
‘Since we began the project on May 15, 2020, we have already donated a total of 105,000 pieces of face shields; 10,000 each to the CAR, Region I, II, III, IVB, V, VI, VIII, and XII; and 15,000 pieces of face shields to Region IVA,’ shares Ms. Afable.
10,000 face shields for DOST V (Bicol)
At the moment, the Center is accommodating additional inquires for face shields on top of the scheduled donations to the regions. The project team sees to it that it stays on top of its production and delivery schedules in time for the target project completion date which is on August 14, 2020.
The DOST-MIRDC is pooling its resources, technology, and ingenuity to continue to support our healthcare workers and frontliners in various sectors in battling the COVID-19 pandemic in the country with the mass production and distribution of face shields.
We are the DOST-MIRDC.
Grateful to serve the nation's new breed of heroes.
Science, Technology, and Innovation to Beat Crisis:
MIRDC's COVID-19 Initiatives
by FAITH P. MACATANGAY on JUNE 19, 2020
The Department of Science and Technology-Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC) joins the government in its efforts to provide solutions in this time of global crisis through science, technology, and innovation (STI). The following are the MIRDC's accomplishments:
DOST-MIRDC co-developed a local ventilator which is now ready for third party testing. The MIRDC-Advanced Mechatronics, Robotics and Industrial Automation Laboratory (AMERIAL) Group, together with the Breath of Life Foundation, worked on the mechanical and electronics engineering portion of OstreaVent, a locally-developed medical ventilator. The Ostreavent is now ready for the safety testing and performance verification by a third party company, the Medequip. The team is continuing with the design of five units of commercial model. Four out of the five commercial model units will be used for clinical trials while the remaining one will be used by the AMERIAL team in developing a new model with assist control (AC) capability.
DOST-MIRDC continues to provide face shields for free to medical and non-medical frontliners in the regions through a project whose objective is to produce 200,000 pieces of face shields for donation. The Center coordinates directly with DOST Regional Offices to facilitate the pick-up, transport, and delivery of the face shield packages. Behind the successful implementation of this project are the Center’s mold-making and plastic injection mold technologies, two of the MIRDC’s prime capabilities housed in the Die and Mold Solution Center (DMSC). Since the project commenced on May 15, 2020, the Center has already produced and donated a total of 105,000 to various regions such as: 10,000 each to the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Region I, II, III, IVB, V, VI, VIII, and XII; and 15,000 to Region IVA. Donations of face shields to the remaining regions will be done in the next coming weeks.
Isabela Provincial Government adopts the Hybrid Electric Road Train (HERT) as a viable transport alternative. The province also supports the organization of a local manufacturers’ consortium to produce the additional HERT units that will be adopted in each of its congressional districts. The HERT is a hybrid, trackless train that is powered by a diesel-electric generator set and a bank of batteries. It is a locally-developed technology for mass transport solutions.
Since the community quarantine protocols have been implemented, MIRDC, in collaboration with partner organizations and material donors, produced medical face shields to augment the supply shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). The Face Shield for the People in the Frontline initiative operationalized 5,000 per day production of face shields using plastic injection molding technology. As of Week 7, MIRDC has produced 46,631 face shield frames. The Center’s face shield donations began using the 3D printing technology under the Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMCEN). Being a stop-gap measure, 3D printing was the technology used while the MIRDC geared up for mass production.
As an R&D institute, the Center has ready designs for evacuation tents, hospital beds, and crushing machine for spent medical vials. It also has agro-machineries designs for livelihood purposes. These are available for technology transfer.
Today, the DOST-MIRDC goes to Batangas to deliver donations of face shields to the medical frontliners.
The men and women behind the face shields are the heroes who are fighting for every Filipino.
And we are humbled to be at their service.
We invite our partners and stakeholders to take part in this cause. Donations of materials for the face shields are most welcome. Please contact us through these numbers:
0908 8158167
0927 9885367
0908 1790502
#DOSTPH
#ScienceForThePeople
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