Assembling Atlanta Face Shields

Assembling Atlanta Face Shields

The following is the draft parts sanitization process, provided to illustrate the planned production process. This will be updated as a separate document as we work:

Brief:

The Atlanta Face Shields / Atlanta Beats COVID (ABC) effort needs a centralized depository with which to receive crowdsourced 3d printed materials, for quality check and integral sanitization prior to packaging. This will be performed in Roswell FireLabs initially and will be repeated in other locations to scale production.

The process consists of several steps. Parts move through 4 steps. Each step will have an "owner" who will make sure that the step is performed properly, that questions are answered, that nobody is blocked, etc. The people working on each step can shift based on where work is needed. For example, at the start of the process everyone should be in stage 1, sorting and checking parts, then as the parts move through the process all of the stages should be staffed, etc.

So far a group of 5 can produce 100-150 face shields in an evening (about 3 hours).

Preparation

Receiving Parts:

Donor drops 3d part in outdoor depository or sends packaged printed parts to the location. This is not staffed.

Preparing to receive parts

1. Using a 48 or 96 gallon off the shelf trash bin
2. Cut hole in top, tether to wall, put lock on lid
3. Put some sort of padding (old pillows maybe) in bottom so parts don’t break when deposited
4. Label (e.g. "Atlanta Face Shields") so that in-person deliveries are put into the bin.

Assembling Atlanta Face Shields

Supplies for Work Areas

• Three tables (or clean areas to work in).
• 4 Bins for parts.
• Two clean/new 5 gallon buckets with lids, half-filled with
• 7 gallons of IPA 70% concentration (in the two buckets)
• Hammer (for putting the lids onto the buckets)
• Clipboard
• Pencil/pen
• Paper towels
• PPE for all workers:
  • Disposable Gloves
  • n95 masks
• Materials for making the target number of masks (plus a few spares in case of breakage, etc.)
  • Printed parts (head band and bottom support)
  • Cut shields (Prusa's 240x240 mm four-hole mask)
  • 1 gallon zip lock bags (12x15 in)
  • Printed sheets, describing how to sterilize and assemble the shields)

Each 'station' should have a clearly identified area, and the team should be walked through the stations and their processes. For 'extra credit' put signs up at each station.

1. Intake Sorting
2. Sanitization & Drying
3. Assembly & Bagging
4. Delivering Requests

Station #1: Intake Sorting

Station #1 is tasked with emptying the depository, opening the received boxes, and sorting all parts by type into different bins, and placing the accepted parts into the "accepted parts" bin. This is a 'dirty' area.

Preparation:

1. Clear a table for sorting parts. Place all incoming parts onto the sorting table, so that everyone who is sorting parts can access them.
2. label bins on or near the table for 'accepted parts', 'cull bin', 'other parts' and 'reinspect'.
3. clipboard for part sheets.

Process:

1. Open a bag/box of parts. Put the 'parts sheet' into the clip board. Put the parts into "incoming parts" bin.
   1. If there are obvious issues with the parts, make a note on the part sheet.
2. Workers pull parts from "new parts" bin and put into appropriate bin.
   1. Parts with obvious imperfections or damage should be placed in a Cull Bin. The contents of this bin should be considered unusable. This bin should be given to Station #4 to log their rejection and why.
   2. Parts that are for designs that are not currently being assembled should go into "other parts".
   3. Parts that the worker is uncertain of go into the "resinspect" bin.
   4. Parts that pass inspection go into the "accepted parts" bin.
3. When there are parts in 'reinspect' the lead should inspect the parts and decide whether they are acceptable, and show them to the team so that they can sort similar parts going forward.
4. As IPA buckets in Station 2 are available, fill each bucket with as many parts as can be fully submerged.
5. Work continues until all parts are sorted into the 'accepted' 'other parts' or 'cull bin'.
6. Then log all parts sheets, with feedback, into a received parts ledger, probably a Google Docs spreadsheet.

Station #2: Sanitization & Drying

Station #2 is responsible for ensuring parts are fully soaked for a minimum of 5 minutes.

People working this station should be 'clean hands'. This person should not touch the “dirty” parts before they are submerged.

Parts should then be removed and hung to dry for a minimum of 5 minutes.

Preparation:

• Fill 5 gallon buckets half-full with minimum of 70% Isopropyl Alcohol. Number of buckets will depend on the parts being printed. For example, 25 Prusa Headbands or 100 bottom supports will fit in one bucket, with all parts submerged.
• Prepare a table or drying rack for clean parts. Wipe it down with IPA 70% solution so that it is sterile.
• Have a hammer handy.

Process:

1. As IPA buckets are available, a person from Station 1 will fill them with parts from "accepted parts" bin, ensuring that the parts are fully submerged, and put the lid on the bucket.
2. Hammer the lid on, so that it is air-tight.
3. Set a timer for five minutes.
4. When the timer goes off, move the parts from the bucket to a drying rack (or table, etc.).
5. Notify Station 1 that they can load another batch of parts.
6. When the parts look dry, notify Station 3 that dried parts are ready.

Station #3: Assembly and Bagging

Assembled sterilized parts into assembled, bagged face shields.

Preparation:

• Label a bin for each part type (e.g. headbands and bottom supports and cut sheets).
• Lead should assemble one face shield, and answer team questions.
• 12x15 zip lock bags and instruction sheets sufficient for the number of face shields to assemble.

Process:

1. When parts are dried, remove the dried parts fro the drying rack and place them into a bin for each part type (headband, bottom support).
2. Each assembler picks the parts for one face shield. That is:
   1. Printed headband
   2. Bottom support
   3. Cut mask
   4. Instruction sheet
   5. 12x15 inch zip lock bag.
3. Assemble the face shield, following the instructions on the instruction sheet. Ask the lead if there are questions.
4. Wipe down assembled face shield with IPA soaked paper towel.
5. Put face shield and instruction sheet into zip lock. Squeeze out as much air as possible, and seal.
6. Stack face shields nested so that they consume minimum space, in stacks of 5.
7. At the end of production, log the number produced for this 'batch' (i.e. team's work at one location) into a ledger, probably a Google Docs spreadsheet.

Station 4: Collect face shields for a request, and deliver.

They then pack the batched and sealed items into the designated receptacle pending pickup A designated person is dispatched and the items are retrieved from the exterior of the building. Everything in this area is bagged (from Station #3).

Preparation:

• Web browser on computer that can print. Printer.
• Log into Trello board.

1. Log into Trello board and select an appropriate request card (i.e. request for Atlanta Face Shields that are assembled and ready to deliver).
2. Take ownership of the card. Set the pick up location to Roswell FireLabs (or elsewhere as appropriate).
3. Open the card to view the detail, and 'print' the card.
4. Put the requested number of face shields into a large bag (e.g. 'garbage bag') or box. Tape the card on the bag/box so that the request ID, contents, address, etc., is visible.
5. Move card to the appropriate column ('ready to deliver'). This will trigger the delivery team to come to pick up the face shields and deliver them to the recipient.

General Practices:

• All Operators will wear gloves and face masks during the activity.
• All hard surfaces in use will be sanitized before the commencement of the activity, every hour therein, and after the conclusion of the activity.
• Gloves also changed hourly.