Makers Respond: Allen Samuels, Mark Krecic, and Ken Kalchik Team Up to Prototype Face Shield Design

Recently, Allen Samuels, industrial designer and Stamps School Emeritus Professor and Dean, teamed up with long-time collaborator Mark Krecic, Woodshop Studio Coordinator of the Art & Architecture Building at U-M, and Ken Kalchik, Principal, Ken Kalchik Design, to create face shields.

The CDC now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. The face shield that Samuels, Krecic, and Kalchick are designing are intended for similar use by the general public, blocking the transmission of micro-droplets created during the course of regular conversation.

A low-cost product, the shield is one piece of thin, clear, flexible plastic that covers the entire face from hairline to neck. The shield provides full around, unobstructed visibility. An open ear hole on each side fits over each ear eliminating the need for any fasteners. A detail on each side enables an extension to the length so it can fit small to large diameters adult heads.

The team is currently in the prototyping phase, laser cutting samples to assess and refine the design. Production is a key factor in the prototyping process: the team aims to create a product that will be die cut or laser cut, enabling immediate, high volume production.

“My real hope at this point in the process is to connect with other makers in the community who may have facilities, materials, and expertise that could result in a fast turn around and the ability to provide a face shield to those who want one at a time when they could do some real good,” said Samuels.

For those interested in more information and details, please feel free to contact Allen Samuels, [email protected]