When the coronavirus pandemic began to spread here in Colorado, state and local officials shared their apprehension about a shortage of personal protective equipment.
In a letter sent to Vice President Mike Pence on March 28, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis described the PPE shortage as ‘dire’ and asked for help in bringing additional protective equipment to the state.
From masks and gowns, to face shield and ventilators, hospitals across the state are still staring down a lack of equipment as positive COVID-19 cases rise.
The latest state data, compiled in tandem with the Colorado Hospital Association, shows that 18 facilities anticipate shortages of personal protective equipment within the next week.
As impending shortages threaten hospitals across the state, Colorado makers have stepped-up to fill in the gaps.
Make4Covid, a statewide volunteer coalition, is working to design, manufacture and distribute essential equipment for Colorado’s frontline healthcare workers and first responders during this crisis.
The organization, started nearly a month ago, has produced and distributed more than 16,000 pieces of PPE and has a network of nearly 2,000 community volunteers.
Make4COVID’s Omar Soubra said the state’s maker community has rallied around the cause unlike ever before, bringing large companies together with individuals.
“Rallying people around an event was always a problem because we have so many other things to do here. The community had never come together in one big event,” he said. “What it shows today is that in tough times people are finding where to help. And they’re very motivated.”
Large companies like supersonic jet startup Boom and visual experience company RealD have contributed to the efforts, producing PPE from their Colorado facilities.
Soubra added that even a 13-year-old STEM student has joined the cause, producing parts around the clock from her family’s home.
The volunteer organization continues to look for members to join its maker community and encourages people to donate money or resources to help the cause.
In addition to producing PPE, Make4COVID is working on a set of standard operating procedures it has followed, that it plans to share with other states looking to start similar coalitions. The growing leadership team, headed by Lauren Hebert of Veeo and Andrew Henderson of University of Colorado Denver’s Inworks, run the organization like a startup, constantly innovating to solve the problems that arise.
As shortages loom for area-hospitals, Soubra said Make4COVID will continue to grow its operation and help where it can.
“Because we know it’s coming, we need to make and support whatever we can locally,” he said of a shortage. “If we can do it here, we are doing it and that’s why I think the community rallied together.”
With an array of 3D printers at its fingertips, Colorado Springs’ Titan Robotics is also contributing to the state’s effort to combat the disease.
After fielding inquiries from local organizations and contacting national health organizations to receive guidance, Titan saw its opportunity to help.
So, the company began using its 3D printers to produce face shields.
“We wanted to make sure that when we shifted and made these parts we were doing it through the proper channels, to make sure we were making parts that were approved by doctors,” CMO Maddie Guillory said.
After settling on designs, the company began producing face-shields using their injection molding pellet 3D printers. Printing directly with pellets enables the use of a wider range of materials, such as flexible materials, for some of these PPE parts.
Titan Robotics is able to produce a face shield headband in about five and a half minutes for under 50 cents in materials, Guillory said, compared to a production time of a few hours for many other printers.
The company is currently working on an order of 4,000 shields for a local organization and has distributed others to the state’s Innovation Response Team.
“It’s an unprecedented time right now and the need is so great. It really does fit in with our overall mission to change how products are made with our industrial 3D printers,” Guillory said.
The company is continuing to prototype other PPEs with its printers, testing each piece of equipment to ensure it passes standards set by healthcare professionals.
Guillory said Titan Robotics saw a real chance to make an impact during this pandemic, using its 3D printing technology to turn around high-quality protective equipment in a short time.
“We did feel a responsibility, especially in our community when we have requests coming in from hospitals here in Colorado Springs,” she said. “We’re going to continue to meet the needs of those here in our community and the state.”
On the other side of the state, RT Custer of Vortic Watches in Fort Collins is looking for an opportunity to help.
The watchmaker’s business has slowed to a halt, leaving its machinery without a daily purpose.
The company was coming off a record year, selling out of every watch it made in 2019 and gearing up for a strong 2020.
Custer had already planned for a slow start to the year, giving Vortic time to hone its skills and catch up on orders.
“For us, the first three months of this year were all about getting better,” he said. “2020 was the year we become experts of our craft.”
The company was upgrading machines, doing preventative maintenance and preparing for a busy holiday season at the end of the year.
Now, as non-essential businesses have been ordered to close, Custer wants to pitch in for relief efforts.
“We can make a lot of parts that you’d have to make for a ventilator,” he said, acknowledging the company’s array of machinery. “We’re not making any of those parts, because no one has called to ask for help.”
Custer has reached out to manufacturers both locally and nationally to offer the company’s expertise in creating small parts. He’s also launched an initiative, titled Keeping The Lights On, that matches small manufacturers with people and businesses that need help.
“We’ve offered to help because if your sales drop off and the machines don’t have much else to do, you have two options: you close your doors or you do something else,” Custer said. “If we just turn those machines off went home and watched Netflix, I’d feel pretty guilty and I’m not going to do that.”
