THINKING outside the box has enabled Pembrokeshire County Council to use 3D Printers to produce face masks for social care and care home staff.

Based in the Bridge Innovation Centre (BIC) in Pembroke Dock, the county council is using equipment at Fab Lab to create vital face masks to protect social care and NHS staff from infection.

To create the much-need masks, they are using their state-of-the-art 3D Computer Aided Design Software (CAD), which allows users to design, build and develop products through digital design and then fabrication.

The initiative - led by Rose Kennington, BIC team leader - can produce a maximum 36 visor face masks a day.

She said: “We put a call out to help care homes and our NHS colleagues – and we are currently taking orders for social services and county council care homes.

“Our first order was received by Havenhurst care home in Milford Haven. It was great to be able to help the staff – especially at this time when the equipment is in great need.

“We are also happy to produce the face masks for the NHS and we would ask those colleagues to get in touch so we can help them. But we do have a plea to companies that can help us source acetate which is used to the production of the visor part of the kit.”

Anyone who can provide acetate, which is required in the production, or for more information please contact: rose.kennington@pembrokeshire.gov.uk