Shielding health workers

Posted on 23 April 2020

Support from a University-managed grants scheme has helped a North Yorkshire business develop face visors for health staff working at the front line of the local coronavirus response.

Stokesley-based Applied Scientific Technologies (AST) specialises in the development of robotics and hardware in life and physical sciences, industrial laboratory and medical applications.

Grant

The company received a grant from the Product and Process Innovation fund (PAPI) to help cover the cost of a 3D printer used in the manufacture of plastic components. But when coronavirus took hold, AST director Garry Lofthouse saw an opportunity to use the printer to help boost supplies of PPE equipment for local health services.

He said: “The PAPI grant provided the tools for us as a business to provide important help to front line NHS staff and other key workers needing PPE equipment.

“I never envisaged AST using the 3D printing technology as we have, but immediately recognised as a business we could do something to help.”

Visors

Over 100 of the reusable visors have already been distributed free of charge to local health workers - and thanks to a Go Fund Me page, the company plans to deliver another 200.

The PAPI Project is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014 to 2020.

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