Incodema manufactures reusable face shields, shares design plans

Incodema, an Ithaca, N.Y.-based precision cutting and forming sheet metal manufacturer specializing in prototypes, was approached by Ithaca’s Cayuga Medical Center (CMC) in early April to produce face shields. Most fast-turnaround PPE uses nonsanitizable materials like foam or low-quality plastic and can only be worn once.

The company decided to make face shields that could be sanitized and reused, developing a design that uses stainless steel for the face shield’s headband and Mylar plastic for the shield itself. The stainless-steel headbands have holes in each end so that users can tighten them with a piece of removable elastic if desired.

To cut the headbands, the firm used MC Machinery’s Mitsubishi 3015 LVPlus CO₂ laser. Using the Mitsubishi MV1200-R wire EDM, Incodema created tooling that could bend parts on the Mitsubishi Diamond BB4013 press brake. However, the face shield design doesn’t require use of a press brake—simple hand tools also can do the job.

Within a week, Incodema was able to produce and evaluate three different revisions, with user input from CMC, before settling on a final design. Incodema presented the face shields to the CMC team right before they headed to New York City to treat coronavirus patients. The company has made the designs and instructions available to the public.