Alaska Micro Mask (v6)

thingiverse

This lightweight mask frame is designed to hold filter fabric snugly against your face, allowing you to easily wash or change out the filter fabric and sanitize the mask frame after use. Unlike many flat frame designs, this one is based on a precise 3D scan of a head, ensuring a perfect fit. The design has been tested on my own head, but its thin and flexible construction makes it suitable for many individuals. The frame includes a very thin layer of support material under the nose curve, which should be removed along with any excess printed material before wearing. I've found that printing these frames in PETG yields a flexible result that allows for easy speaking while wearing the mask. PLA will also print nicely but may be too stiff to provide optimal comfort. The design is a bit too thin for elastic filament to create a secure seal, so it's best to opt for a different material. Files for this project are available for download as "alaska_micro_mask_6.stl." To adjust the mask size, simply scale the STL file in your slicer. Printing at 100% scale will yield a NIOSH-approved "large" face fit, while scaling down to 82% or 70% will result in a smaller or child-sized fit, respectively. To ensure a proper fit, pay attention to how the mask sits on your face. If it digs into your neck below your chin, it's too big, and if it won't fit over your chin or hangs down your nose far enough that it pinches your nostrils shut, it's too small. Thread thin rubber bands through the outer loops of the frame, knotting one end and looping the other when you put on the mask. If the rubber band straps dig in or hurt your cheekbones, they're too tight – just a gentle pressure is needed to hold the filter fabric against your face. This design should work with any filter fabric, so be sure to check out the testing results at maskfaq.com/test-results to help you choose an effective material. I've found that two layers of blue shop towels and a layer of cotton underneath allow me to breathe comfortably while running in this mask. The "_and_goggles" version includes a mounting slot for a 60mm high by 200mm wide strip of clear plastic, such as thin PETG, which is hot-glued into the printed slot on top to provide some eye protection. However, the goggles tend to fog up in humid weather and may not work well if you wear glasses – but then they probably aren't as necessary. The non-goggles version has small tabs that you can use to clip on the filter fabric around the nose, helping to keep it from shifting around as you put on the mask. This design uses 11mL of plastic at 100% scale. If you want to edit the source code, you'll need to access the OpenSCAD file and the "face_detail1.stl" head model. This project was supported by the Office of Naval Research, and this is revision 6 – it's also an entry for the #FaceCoveringChallenge.