Header image: Mohd Ifwat Mohd Ghazali visits 3D printing facilities along with Noraini Ahmad, Malaysia's minister of higher education, and university professor Sofina Tamam.
Mohd Ifwat Mohd Ghazali, a Spartan alumnus living in Malaysia, found himself with extra free time when strict quarantine measures in the country began. He felt inspired to support those putting their lives at risk to save others, so he brought together a team of colleagues, designers, students and 3D printing hobbyists to produce low-cost face shields.
Face shields provide a layer of protection for those who wear them by helping to prevent particles from reaching the face. Ghazali’s face shields are being produced using 3D printers. He specialized in 3D printing/additive manufacturing while studying electrical engineering at MSU, first for his master’s degree, which he received in 2014, and later for his PhD in 2019.
After deciding on a suitable design, the initial team of 16 people searched for partners who could help scale up the endeavor. This search led them to build a network of approximately 4,000 people from across the country who have 3D printers. The team then compiled information on locations face shields were most needed, such as hospitals, clinics, quarantine centers and police departments. While the network has members who are printing the protective equipment in most states across the country, they are also shipping face shields to more remote regions where such printing is not possible.
Initial funding for the project came from the University Sains Islam Malaysia where Ghazali is a senior lecturer. The network has also been collecting financial donations for the campaign.
the novel coronavirus in Malaysia. “Some days the recovery rate is higher than the new cases,” he says.
Ghazali notes that the success of his 3D printed face shields, coupled with the increased demand for them, is inspiring other Malaysian universities to move to mass production using injection molding technology.