Shielding Healthcare Workers on the Frontlines

Travel restrictions. Closures. Working from home. Social distancing. These are extraordinary times and it takes extraordinary effort to stay diligent in our actions yet hopeful for the future.

 

In the Americas, as of early April, many of Belden's business operations fall inside the critical operations criteria listed in various government proclamations. So, we keep safely working to ensure uninterrupted service and support for our global customers.

 

In recent weeks, several PPC team members have taken “critical operations” and “working safely” a step further and are going the extra mile to help fight COVID-19. PPC operations leaders have partnered with a 3D printing company to provide healthcare workers with face shields while testing patients for COVID-19.

 

 A New York duo and their local partners are working to make the face shields for healthcare workers using 3D printers. Not only are they creating the face shields themselves, but they have also made available a template and instructions for people around the world to download and fabricate shields using their own equipment.

 

PPC's Operations Team at the Syracuse, NY, headquarters heard about this effort and offered to help. PPC supplied volunteers with assembly tables, packaging materials, disinfectant, production site layouts and more. Leveraging PPC's local network, many of the necessary production materials were sourced for free or at a reduced cost.

 

PPC engineers have also worked with suppliers to develop a mold that will increase production from the current 350 shields per day to more than 1,000 shields per day. The increased capacity will support the production of 10,000 new face shields for donation to healthcare workers. The PPC team has adjusted the use of our own on-site 3D printers to make components as well.

 

We’re all in these hard days together and we’re so proud of PPC's efforts to support our medical professionals on the front lines. Thank you to everyone involved for stepping up to help our brave healthcare providers during this global emergency.