Staff at Live Life Aberdeenshire's library service have been using their three 3D printers at libraries headquarters in Oldmeldrum to create protective visors for Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership colleagues. The printers build a three-dimensional object from a computer-aided design model and are normally available for use by members of the public or local businesses.
Members of the libraries team are working in shifts to supervise production, with the first consignment of 112 visors sent out on Monday. (April 13) The team aims to produce up to 24 visors a day, or 120 a week.
The headband is created using the 3D printer then a sheet of acetate is cut to size and attached to complete the visor. An initial design took between two and three hours to produce, so the team switched to a simpler one which can be produced in an hour.
The team is also printing initially small amounts of "ear savers", which take pressure off the visor user's ears while wearing it. More than 20 have already been sent out for use. The local community in Oldmeldrum also deserves recognition - local residents have been posting donations of elastic through the letterbox of libraries HQ while out on their daily walks!
Interim Head of Live Life Aberdeenshire, Avril Nicol, said: "Colleagues at Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership told us they had a need for additional visors to be produced and we are very happy to help.
"Live Life Aberdeenshire staff, including the libraries team, have been redeployed to support critical Aberdeenshire Council activities across the area while our facilities are closed in light of the current situation, with some working in care settings in our communities themselves.
“This is just another way we’re able to help and I know our libraries team is proud to play its part in supporting our communities at this difficult time.”