Local Engineer Making 3-D Printed Face Shields from Home

Each face shield takes the printer around two hours to create and Tim Salmonson estimates he has made nearly 200.

DULUTH, Minn. – During the pandemic, many Northlanders have been doing what they can to help out the community.

Tim Salmonson, a local electrical engineer, was working from home like so many others and decided to use his 3-D printer to create face shields to help out healthcare workers at hospitals.

Each face shield takes the printer around two hours to create and Salmonson estimates he has made nearly 200.

His friends donated money for him to buy the materials and keep the 3-D printer going.

There are three components to the shield: the 3-D printed headpiece, a plastic shield, and an elastic.

Salmonson says he just wants to do what he can for local hospitals.

“Cause I can’t sew so I couldn’t make actual face masks and I had the 3-d printer sitting there and why not do something good for the community I’m stuck home all day working I can be doing two things at a time and helping out,” said Salmonson.

He says he already has enough money to make another two to three hundred shields.

He has been working for two and a half weeks and expects to continue to make 10-12 a day as long as he can and it’s needed.