Autodesk and Sinterit made use of 3D printing technology to create anti-pollution mask for children. Both companies already collaborated together to improve SLS 3D printing.
Bartlomiej Gaczorek, 3D artist, who designed the ready-to-use exoskeleton arm that has been created using 3D SLS printing technique brought his contribution by creating a mask for young children.
Protective masks are often a solution for those who live in increasingly contaminated cities. However, while there are many styles for adults, there are far fewer designed especially for children.
The aim of the team was to create a low-weight mask. It was also important to protect the filters without increasing the volume of the mask, as children are highly mobile and have a tendency to fall. In addition, a colorful finish made the product appealing to children. Creating such a structure manually would be much more time-consuming (if not impossible), and would almost certainly lead to mistakes that would not be 3D printable.
The manufacturing
They used the Sinterit Lisa printer, using SLS technology because of its ability to print permanent, targeted elements that could be treated and painted to create a final product, not just a prototype. In addition, it has the ability to print durable components (PA12 nylon) as well as flexible ones (TPU), making it possible to print both rigid sections of the mask and an anatomically adjustable section for the face.
The contribution of Autodesk
Autodesk Netfabb analyzes and detects problems, can repair meshes, and can, therefore, shorten the printing time even further. In the case of the “brifo,” Netfabb was used to properly prepare the design before printing. The software created internal lattices to slim-down the design with a complicated, organic structure. The latticing allowed for a lightweight model with no loss of functionality or durability.
As far as materials are concerned, the team used PA12 and Flexa Black since they enable the mask to be both durable and comfortable.
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