3D Printed CAPR Mask
For ~$30, I'm converting a full face snorkel mask into a reusable CAPR mask with interchangeable air filters. More effective than N95.
Brandon Bourn
Inspiration
My girlfriend is an ICU nurse at a well known hospital, and they're running low on personal protective equipment (Masks, gloves, gowns, etc.). Without PPE, they will get sick, and our healthcare system will quickly get overwhelmed.
What it does
There are many different levels of protection with masks, from Surgical to N95 to Powered Air Purifier Respirators. N95 is the minimum standard recommended by the FDA, but since supplies are running low, they've even recommended using Bandana's if necessary, just to protect against water droplets
3D printed respirators are typically not much better than Bandana's, because it's hard to get the perfect fit to one's face. HOWEVER, commercially available snorkel masks (sold for $30) already have a perfect fit, are waterproof, and are MUCH closer to PAPR respirators (which typically retail for $1200, and thus are in extremely short supply).
The 3D print takes ~1 hour, and can use vacuum filters which are rated near N95 levels. Future prints will have an oxygen attachment so the wearer can get off room air entirely.
How I built it
I bought this snorkel mask, which arrived 2 hours ago, and 3D printed a super simple attachment.
Challenges I ran into
Hardware delivery times are much longer than software.
Accomplishments that I'm proud of
Nothing, we're all in this together!
What I learned
A lot about the inadequacies of 3D printed respirators
What's next for 3D Printed CAPR Mask (More effective than N95)
We need to add an attachment for the oxygen valve present in every hospital room. This will remove health care workers from the same air as their patients, giving them even MORE protection!
I'd like to be able to open source this, so anyone who wants one can buy a snorkel mask and team up with someone with a 3D printer to have a mask in a few days, as opposed to the 3-6 weeks it's going to take for supply to catch up with demand.