Respi, the 3d printed respirator (4-7 Update)

thingiverse

In the U.S., there's a severe mask shortage crippling our medical community. Many people are using masks on a daily basis who don't really need them. Meanwhile, the masks they're using aren't being utilized by medical professionals who desperately require them. I decided to design a mask that provides protection according to CDC and WHO guidelines. This mask can be 3D printed and assembled with a few readily available household materials (https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/12/6/05-1468_article). It's designed to be heat-formed to the face using a hairdryer (If the plastic is too hot, please use tools or gloved hands to shape it. Use your best judgment to avoid injury). The mask is scalable. The only other materials needed are a ziplock bag, a cotton t-shirt, and something to improvise as a strap to hold it on. An instructional video will be posted soon, but in the meantime: --The exhaust and intake valves use a diaphragm cut from a zip-lock bag. Cut this into a disk just big enough to cover the vents. These diaphragms are held in place by either the exhaust cover or the filter bodies. --Only one filter is really necessary, but if you do only use one, print and install the vent plug for the opposite side. --The filter is made from two layers cut from a cotton t-shirt. The CDC recommends ensuring this is sterilized beforehand. These are held in place by the filter cover. --Straps are made using improvised materials. String will suffice, but something elastic is better. There are four attachment points on the mask for whatever you want to use. Please consider using my mask as an alternative to using equipment best left for our hardworking medical staff across America. Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. I'm a DIYer and you should not use my creations as a replacement for something your doctor has recommended for you. The objective of this system is to provide a good replacement for common use so we don't waste masks best left for medical staff. Additionally, this mask is designed to filter air entering your lungs but not out. This will not fully prevent you from spreading anything you already have. Perhaps a future version will help with this if interest in this project is strong enough. 3-31 update: Added mask without attachment mounts and separate attachment mount files so they can be printed separately and glued on. Hopefully, this will help cut down on some print time! I also added a filter with a less robust latch. It was made apparent that certain settings/filaments made the filter latch so rigid it would snap off when you pressed it onto the mask. I added one with less material there if this happens to you. Honestly, on my Ender 3 printed with -.1mm horizontal expansion with PETG, these parts fit tightly enough not to need a latch. I still recommend it. 4-7 update: Added printed facial gasket and diaphragms. Recorded and edited just the most absolutely terrible video on YouTube for instructions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuiCKktuIOk 4-8 update: Removed previous two options for filter bodies. Replaced one with a better engagement that is less likely to break. A future update will add diaphragms and seals available for flexible filament.