Spanish brand Nagami Design has switched the use of its robotic arm from making furniture to 3D-printing face shields for medical staff treating coronavirus patients.
Nagami Design usually makes objects such as 3D-printed chairs by Zaha Hadid Architects, but has converted its manufacturing process to address the shortage of protective equipment in hospitals.

The brand's Covid-19 masks consist of a visor that is worn across the forehead and secured behind the ears with elastic.
Clear plastic film is fastened to a second band attached to the visor, forming a protective shield that can be cleaned or replaced when it becomes contaminated.

"3D printing has emerged as the ultimate tool for local manufacturing, reducing the production chain to the bare minimum," said Nagami Design founders Manuel Jimenez García, Miki Jimenez García and Ignacio Viguera Ochoa. "With COVID-19 emergency, this technology provides the opportunity to efficiently produce affordable tools, which are now essential to help save lives."

The Spanish brand used the open source code made by Prusa for desktop 3D-printers and adapted it for its robotic arm. It can print up to 500 protective face shields a day.
The 3D-printed elements are made from Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG), which is strong and durable, and can be recycled afterwards.
Nagami Design is based near Madrid, which has been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus outbreak. Spain's death toll for the disease is now...