MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Work is being done all around to help those in the healthcare industry.
People have donated masks, gowns, and other PPE gear to ensure their safety.
One local resident has turned his home into a manufacturing studio to help with the cause.
Tucked away in a kitchen corner, sits a man and two 3D printers.
"Let me show you what we're 3D printing," said Steven Taylor, a Technical Training Specialist and Southwest Tennessee Community College Adjunct Instructor.
He has been making face shields.
"It feels good to help out when needed," said Taylor. "I've been involved with 3D printing for a long time. I've never made a medical face shield before, but it's not much different from 3D printing any other object."
For the past three weeks, Taylor had been printing and assembling.
"These printers, they're running constantly. My personal printer, I'm using my personal printer as well as a Siemens printer. It has broken down and I had to 3D print a part to fix it," said Taylor.
He did so in order to continue the 30-minutes to an hour taken for each plastic piece.
"We incorporate it with a laminated sheet, which is eight-and-a-half by eleven," said Taylor. "We poke holes with a hole punch and you're able to clip it on the face shield and use it as a face shield."
When done, Taylor hands it over to Mid-South Makers, which has also been making face shields.
"They sanitize, pack it, and hand it off to Mid-South Medical Society," said Taylor.
He is also in the process of testing out a face mask.
"This is also a two-piece design. It's got that. It sandwiches a filter in between and it kind of allows for more airflow than most common face masks," said Taylor.
Until those are ready, Taylor will continue with the shields hoping to make up to 100 a week.
"Anything that we can do to help the medical profession in this time is awesome."
Taylor said he plans on making face shields as long as it is needed.
He also wants to get his students involved as part of several business and technology courses also offered online.