Design, manufacture, and testing of customized sterilizable respirator.

ABSTRACT

The respirator as one of the personal protective equipment is essential for industrial activities (e.g., mining, painting, woodcutting, manufacturing) for protection from contaminants in the air and during the Covid-19 pandemic to protect the wearer from infection. The respirators nowadays are commonly made of rigid plastic. They are expensive, cumbersome, and not comfortable to wear. The many components with complex structures prevent it from cleaning and reusing. We develop a practical and scalable strategy to create customized respirators with durability using computational modeling and 3D printing. It is shown that by morphing the shape according to the user's photo, the respirator is designed to fit a user's face without air leaks. Using a printing-mold-casting method, this respirator can be manufactured by silicone rubber with accuracy, which is highly durable, with its mechanics primarily not affected by sterilization. These features provide the current respirator adaptivity and convenience in carrying and storing, as well as more comfort for long-time wearing.