Javelin and partners bring reusable protective face shield to market

NORTH BAY, Ont — Javelin Tech‘s made-in-Ontario contribution from — The ProtectON face shield — was launched on Sept. 30 in North Bay, Ont.

When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, Javelin’s professional services team, led by Conner Janeteas, wanted to use their design expertise and 3D printing capabilities in the fight against the pandemic.

The goal was to address the urgent need for locally produced PPE in a time when supplies were dangerously low and raw materials and finished products were nearly impossible to source.

The team also felt strongly about designing a reusable face shield that could be disinfected and sterilized, according to a company statement.

Javelin worked with clinical partners in healthcare to collaboratively design and test a 3D-printed face shield. Using the powerful 3D technologies in Javelin’s Advanced Manufacturing Centre in Oakville, Ont., Javelin technicians were able to deploy various iterations of the face shields quickly.

The face shields were tested in a number of clinical and non-clinical settings in a healthcare environment and feedback from healthcare professionals drove design modifications to maximize effectiveness and comfort.