Evaluation of 3D-printer settings for producing personal protective equipment

Aim: COVID-19 resulted in a shortage of personal protective equipment. Community members united to 3D-print face shield headbands to support local healthcare workers. This study examined factors altering print time and strength. Materials & methods: Combinations of infill density (50%, 100%), shell thickness (0.8, 1.2 mm), line width (0.2 mm, 0.4 mm), and layer height (0.1 mm, 0.2 mm) were evaluated through tensile testing, finite element analysis, and printing time. Results: Strength increased with increased infill (p < 0.001) and shell thickness (p < 0.001). Layer height had no effect on strength. Increasing line width increased strength (p < 0.001). Discussion: Increasing layer height and line width decreased print time by 50 and 39%, respectively. Increased shell thickness did not alter print time. These changes are recommended for printing.