Apple Shares New Documentation on How to Make Your Own Face Shield

[CarlJ]

Hey Cook, can you PLEASE make a kit available that includes ALL the relevant parts ???

And most-importantly, offer it @ cost.

And, recommend you / Apple Limit the Order Size to 2 so that everyone can get them BEFORE the first run runs out.

This isn’t for the general public, it’s for healthcare workers who are on the front lines, who are dealing with infected patients all day, up close and personal. It’d be overkill for the general public, just like N95 masks are.

If you work in healthcare, ask your organization to contact Apple about getting a whole bunch of these. But they should not be shipping them to the general public any time soon.

 

[russell_314]

I hear Google is making one that has built in GPS tracking and has a screen to display relevant advertisements 😂

 

[szw-mapple fan]

Why plans for a face shield rather than a more useful face mask? Is it because the latter interferes with Face ID???

Many hospitals use both together. Also, some healthcare institutions allow the facemark for those who are not able to get a good seal with n95 masks.
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[Piggie]

I ordered an Apple Mask, but was not quite what I had expected.

 

[wedgeman]

The biggest issue with Apple's band is they made it without actually testing on the market and getting feedback. Steve Jobs would have fired a dozen people over this.

1. It doesn't meet CDC guidelines - the front top is entirely open and allows contaminates to fall directly down on to the eyes of the wearer. This is why so many of the donated units went right into hospital dumpsters.

2. The headband is horribly uncomfortable. hot plastic on your forehead? who the hell thought of that?

3. an elastic or silicone band becomes very uncomfortable after hours of wear -- it is constantly pulling on the skin and leaves the wearer with a headache.

We prototyped a half dozen masks the same week, took them to EDs and got feedback from actual MDs and nurses wearing them, then produced a mask that's half the weight and which the nurses actually like.

sad that apple created a publicity stunt in the midst of a pandemic.

 

[Kinotto]

Oooooh that must be why Apple’s Mac lineup is so underwhelming: all the resources were put into the DIY mask project!
Apple, do yourself a favour, quit all this Cook-era ******** and go back to what you used to do best.

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

Is this supposed to be a hard thing to make? My kids have something similar on seesaw that they can make. It’s a plastic cut out.

 

[knappeduivel]

Apple has recently shared a new support document on how to make your own face shield. The support document does mention that the manufacturing of face shields should only be carried out by an expert.

In the support document, Apple specifies the materials and their respective thickness values needed for the fabrication of the shield, forehead band, and strap. Additionally, the support document highlights laser cutting, water jetting, and die cutting as potential fabrication methods that can be used in the production of the face shield.

Apple also provides several design files that are to be used in the fabrication process itself. The design files available include instructions for the overall process, 2D cut files, and specific manufacturing files for each component of the face shield. Apple has also set up the email address faceshieldmake@apple.com should anyone need further assistance with the fabrication process.



Article Link: Apple Shares New Documentation on How to Make Your Own Face Shield

Which Apple products is this face shield supposed to protect me from?

 

[now i see it]

and for those without a laser cutter or water jet handy -
there's always Plan—B

 

[Wackery]

I’m waiting for the PRO version

 

[fastlanephil]

A fabric face mask does very little as far as protection for the wearer. It does help prevent the wearer from infecting others. Ideally, everyone needs to be wearing some sort of mask or shield for this to at least slow down the spread of infection. In the short term, heard immunity is our best chance for getting a handle on the virus along with antiviral medicines. Those most at risk for a serious infection and possible death need to isolate and be kept isolated from the heard as much as possible.

 

[CarlJ]

Is this supposed to be a hard thing to make? My kids have something similar on seesaw that they can make. It’s a plastic cut out.

Great! Have your kids start making one million masks. Let us know when they’re done.

 

[lkrupp]

What we need to learn from this crisis is that almost all of our PPE is manufactured in China. So screaming and hollering about why these products didn't just magically appear when we needed them shows a lack of knowledge about the situation. Why are Apple, GM, and others making PPE now? Because NOBODY was making it in the U.S. to begin with. Same goes for respirators. Because we surrendered our manufacturing to China (cheap labor) the U.S. was caught with its pants down around its ankles. The chickens have come home to roost. We should also know by now that almost all generic drugs in U.S. pharmacies are imported from... China. We are at China’s mercy in this crisis and we did it to ourselves. Will we change? Likely not because... cheap labor.

 

[mazz0]

I’m not sure I see the point of this. That say it should only be attempted by an expert, but an expert would get their designs from a specialist, surely? Who is Apple aiming this at?

 

[davidg4781]

They released the plans for free and are providing free support. They can't get less under cost than that. Do you want them to manufacture it for you as well?

Uhh. That’s kind of the point of their post. I don’t have the equipment to make one. So these files are useless for me. I would like one of my own to wear when I go to the store.

I think the reason Apple released these documents are for other manufacturers to help with production.

 

[CarlJ]

Uhh. That’s kind of the point of their post. I don’t have the equipment to make one. So these files are useless for me.

You’re not the target audience. Despite the article title mentioning, “how to make your own” (bad work on the part of the author), the designs are intended for companies/organizations who have some expertise with such manufacture and need to make these by the thousands. The design is intended to be produced in mass quantities (because every doctor/nurse having an okay face shield is better than 10% having great shields and the others having none).

Apple is releasing details of their design (just like many others are doing), so that interested parties can use the design, or learn from it. This is a good thing.
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I’m not sure I see the point of this. That say it should only be attempted by an expert, but an expert would get their designs from a specialist, surely? Who is Apple aiming this at?

Apple is aiming this at companies / organizations with the wherewithal to get lots of masks/shields made. They’re sharing their design. So are many other groups that are making such things now. Groups can either use Apple’s design straightaway, or get ideas from it to improve and simplify their own designs. Keep in mind that the goal is not to make the best shield ever, but rather to make a workable design that can be quickly manufactured in truly vast quantities.

Ten million face shields that are good enough, is a better result than ten thousand face shields that are super duper wonderful.

 

[davidg4781]

You’re not the target audience. Despite the article title mentioning, “how to make your own” (bad work on the part of the author), the designs are intended for companies/organizations who have some expertise with such manufacture and need to make these by the thousands. The design is intended to be produced in mass quantities (because every doctor/nurse having an okay face shield is better than 10% having great shields and the others having none).

Apple is releasing details of their design (just like many others are doing), so that interested parties can use the design, or learn from it. This is a good thing.

Yeah, I get the instructions are made for other manufacturers. That’s why I said they’re useless to me. I think my post was misread or taken out of context.

I still would like to purchase one. Fully made.