Malta Enterprise are supporting Invent 3D project in the production of covid19 protective visors through the use of 3D printers to ensure that frontline staff at MaterDei Hospital get this very important piece of protection wear that is required in these circumstances.
This piece of protective equipment will enhance the wellbeing of medical professionals, healthcare staff, nurses and cleaners working at hospital.
This was announced by the Minister for Economy, Investment and Small Businesses Silvio Schembri when visiting the Żabbar Primary School, together with the Minister for Education and Employment Owen Bonnici.
During this visit, both Ministers visited the school hall that is currently hosting around forty-five 3D printers which the Ministry for Education sourced from different public schools around Malta upon the request of the Ministry of Economy to support this social initiative by David Sciberras. These are being used for the production of covid19 protective visors, which Sciberras, owner of Invent 3D, is supplying for free to Mater Dei hospital with the help of other volunteers believing in this project.
Minister Silvio Schembri said that through this initiative the government is joining forces with the industry and the community, to ensure that those at the frontline are given all the resources required to protect themselves while on the job helping others. "The €10,000 grant provided by the Ministry for Economy through Malta Enterprise, is aimed at helping this great initiative to provide the much needed scarce equipment through local efforts and innovation. More resources shall be made available where necessary to have these covid19 protective visors distributed freely to other public hospitals and governmental residential care units. This is a national cause whereby all our resources are being mobilised to make sure that our country has what is needed to fight this pandemic. In fact talks are underway with other industry manufacturers on the production of other essential equipment." said Minister Schembri.
During the visit, Minister for Education and Employment Owen Bonnici explained how, instead of the normal printers which use ink on a piece of paper, these 3D printers can actually create a tangible object. "In our schools and educational institutions, we have 45 3D printers which at present situation were not being used, thus we sought to help in this cause by setting up this 3D printer farm in a school to help add production capacity. Through this collaboration and addition of these printers, we are producing around 600 visors every day for doctors, nurses and all staff in hospitals dealing with COVID-19" said Minister Bonnici.
David Sciberras explained that production capacity has now been tripled from 200 pieces a day to 600 pieces a day which are being delivered to Hospital daily. Sciberras thanked other industry players such as Playmobil who are also supporting this cause by providing plastic material for the visor part of this product. He extended his gratitude to all volunteers for helping to run the printers all day and all those youth within the community who made their 3D printers available for this cause.