How a snail-infested fan led Ford 3D printer to making face shields for healthcare workers

David Wood from Ford, an aquatics shop manager who with his business partner James Hatton is turning their 3D-printing expertise into life-saving face shields.

So far, they have made almost 200 masks that they can send out to hospitals, care homes and those who need them in the community.

David said: “It is second nature to me. I have done care work with adults with learning difficulties from the age of 15, and end of life care, and I found that sometimes it can be the littlest things that can mean the world to someone.

“This is a little thing we can do to go the extra mile.”

David founded 3D printing company The Polyp Pros with his business partner James Hatton after encountering an unusual problem at Maidenhead Aquatics on the A259 in Littlehampton, where he is manager.

He said: “There is a certain type of wave maker which makes all the snails congregate head first into its fan, jamming it up, so we went about adapting a cover guard.”

Since the lockdown, the pair have used their eight printers to build NHS-approved masks for hospital workers and a lighter design for care homes, that take a fifth of the time to make and still offer protection.

A lack of acetate sheets to create visors that fit into the masks proved a problem due to the current demand, but thankfully David and James managed to source some.

David said printing the masks at home had become a cottage industry, with his wife Anita helping. He said: “The other night I went to bed at 2am, and then I was up at six for another print run.”

If you are in need of masks, contact David and James at The Polyp Pros Facebook page. The pair have also set up a crowdfunding page – visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/nhsfacemasks to donate.