Since the beginning of the crisis and the first cases of Coronavirus in Mayotte, a group of volunteers has been making visors to offer them for free to all those who need them. The members of 3D Impressions Emergency tell us about their journey since the beginning of this adventure.
A call for goodwill was made on March 25, relayed by the press and social networks (Mayotte weekly), several private owners of printers responded, along with other goodwill who helped us to structure our network and our contacts in order to challenge the authorities and increase our press visibility. Thus, we were quickly able to be heard and supported by the Prefecture with a contact with the ARS (then the CSSM, the Rectorate, the Pharmacies, the SMUR, etc.).
–
Since the start of the initiative, we have fitted visors to all of the Mayotte pharmacies (nearly 23 pharmacies, nearly 140 visors), private nurses, helicopter pilots, nurses and doctors from the CHM and the operating room. , some local merchants, police, nearly 1,000 people today.
For this, we have set up a shuttle between the printers, making it possible to recover their productions and supply them with the necessary resources (personal stocks of filaments, elastic and transparent). An online request form has been created with the possibility for the team to have shared information.
Our logistics team then contacts the applicants and organizes meetings to equip them. Meetings with the institutions are also regularly scheduled to discuss reciprocal needs.
Faced with growing demand, we sought to solicit local resources for printers located in schools. Thus, thanks to the assistance of Mr Kerdoncuf, Mr the Rector was contacted on Sunday 5 April, who quickly set up a response making it possible to identify the possibilities in terms of availability of machines and personnel.
The first teachers joined us a little before the solicitation of the rectorate and could already have the first feedback from users. The CCI has made available to them their 2 3D printers.
The visors are given for free thanks to everyone’s investment and thanks to a few donations (transparent films, elastic bands, plastic cases for transport).
–
These visors quickly found their audience, there are currently 1800 requests on our site, and we have already distributed 1100 visors. In all cases, these donations were welcomed with open arms. You can find these returns on the collective Facebook
But also in the various press briefings carried out so far (Mayotte weekly, Mayotte the first newspaper at 7 p.m., Mayotte the first radio, Kwezi tv, Les nouvelles de Mayotte).
A visor prints in 30 minutes, which means that we have already spent the equivalent of 500 hours printing.
Today we are a team of ten printers. We have the potential to print 280 visors per day, which is not quite the case at present as the new team takes charge of their equipment. And let’s not forget that 3D printing is a wonderful world that categorically refuses to work properly unless it is taken care of properly.
We had mentioned the need for consumables and additional equipment. With the CSSM we were able to order 120Kg of raw material (equivalent to 10,000 visors), the Rectorate also wanted to commit to 150Kg. We also need 3 fast and versatile printers, the rector’s material being essentially educational, we will not be able to meet certain needs. These machines are 5 times faster than those used so far. We are evaluating the possibility of accepting donations to finance 3 machines.
The transparencies, the rubber bands, the plastic transport cases were donated to us by companies which financed their purchase to participate in the collective initiative.
In parallel with our actions, we are in the process of forming an association, we are also asking for approval in the general interest in order to be able to receive corporate donations to finance the raw material, pay customs duties, acquire additional equipment. .
This solution among others, the protective visors, works, reassures, and protects. We will be able to adapt if the situation ever changes, if other needs arise. For this we keep a stock of technical filaments that we can use for this purpose, we can also request the most precise printers from the team.
For the moment we are continuing to move forward, to produce for those who have honed the method, to develop for those who are groping, to set up new printers.
What we need today to continue:
Help us to transport 3 printers (90kg) from the mainland
Help us finance 3 machines with an individual cost of € 3,500
What happens next?
With the economy to recover, the strategic elements to function smoothly (EDM, Water, telecom networks), we will have to respond positively to the demands of traders and all professions useful for the functioning of the island. These elements are already found in the requests made:
Thus, our action will evolve over the situation.
Hoping to get support quickly on the logistical aspects (Freight, customs), we will be able to focus on requests and production of printed materials.
–
