By Jesslyn Ferentz | April 7, 2020 at 3:20 PM EDT – Updated April 7 at 11:46 PM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Floyd Benfield and Daniel Glauber are both career & technical education teachers at Ashley High School and have been helping the medical industry out by 3D printing plastic face shields.
After finding models online, Glauber talked to Principal Patrick McCarty, who made a few calls, and now they have about a dozen 3D printers in a classroom, making these plastic head bands for the shields.
“In the first three days we printed about 38 masks and yesterday [Monday] was our fourth day and yesterday alone we printed about 38 masks. So now that it’s up and running we can make a lot more quicker,” Glauber said.
Once the plastic headband is printed, they then use old projector sheets for the shield.
Each printer can produce four headbands at a time and it only costs about $7.
Erica Biggs, a sixth grade science teacher at Trask Middle School, is also helping out the community during this time by creating ear protectors.
“You see the pictures of behind [healthcare workers’] ears getting torn up and they are wearing these masks all day long,” said Biggs. “It’s not just medical people. It’s people who are not use to wearing masks and wearing them to protect themselves.”
She takes ribbon and buttons, and her and her three daughters create them.
The hospital is not accepting them at this time, but Biggs is looking to donate them to anyone who wants one.
She’s always looking for fun ribbon designs or unique buttons, so if you would like to donate some craft material you can reach her at erica.biggs@nhcs.net
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