As COVID-19 continues to impact people across Tennessee, the state has decided to take matters into their own hands and reach out to institutions for help in producing medical supplies.
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission made an all-call request for any university or individual with a 3D printer to begin to make face shields for medical personnel due to the lack of supply but great demand. ETSU was one of the many within the community to answer that call.
Professors Keith Johnson and Bill Hemphill have played a major role in the project. As chair for the Department of Engineering, Engineering Technology and Surveying, Johnson has set a goal for ETSU to produce 1,000 face shields a week. Hemphill has completely shifted the coursework for one of his classes this semester to focus on this project.
“While the rest of us are trying to do things online, his semester class will be operationalizing this,” said Dennis Depew, dean of the College of Business and Technology. “The whole design component – planning the manufacturing processes, assembly, all of that – they have been doing offline. This is going to end up being another of these experiences where engineering students, they will have an experience that will be rather unique.”
This initiative has also been a community effort. ETSU and STREAMWORKS have partnered to streamline the efforts and work together. They have primarily used their STEM Gym for educational purposes, but have converted it into a “non-certified medical device production plant,” according to Dennis Courtney, STEAMWORKS executive director.
“We have ten 3D printers printing up 24/7,” Courtney said. “We have got ETSU doing something similar on campus, using a little bit of a different model because we have got to go with what our strengths and weaknesses are.”
Ballad Health is one of the many health organizations in need of medical supplies at this time. While Nashville has requested 10,000 masks, Ballad has a need for 7,000.
“There is a tremendous supply issue with these face masks to protect medical personnel who are trying to save lives,” Courtney said. “When people contract COVID-19, it can be really tough on a person’s respiratory system if you already have existing conditions or are advanced in age. There is going to be some significant problems there. It is important that we have some kind of medical devices and medical apparatus in order to help people breathe.”
As this situation is dealt with on a local, state and national level, Depew sees this as an opportunity for engineering students to get quality experiences while also making a difference.
“It will impact in a way that provides some protections for healthcare professionals who are out there working on the front line,” Depew said. “You have to be really proud of Professor Hemphill and those folks who took the lead and leadership in pushing this forward and saying, ‘Here’s an opportunity for a student learning project, but also would help the community and would also help battle this virus that’s out there.’”
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