Acquabella, best known as a manufacturer of shower trays is helping the fight against COVID-19 by producing PPE (personal protective equipment).
Spanish brand Acquabella (recently awarded European Company of the Year at the EBA Awards) has voluntarily joined the initiative promoted by the professional 3D printer distributor, Sicnova. This firm called for anyone with 3D printing technology to manufacture medical accessories to help assist against the lack of protective material in Spanish health centers, residences, public institutions, and security forces.
In Castellón there are currently 155 printers and four organisations that have requested individual protection visors or face masks for their health or elderly-care personnel.
Acquabella is company that is skilled in the avant-garde production and design of shower trays and bathroom furniture, however with its production temporarily halted, Acquabella’s priority is to protect doctors and healthcare teams.
Juan José Benavent, CEO of Acquabella, confirmed they saw this opportunity “through social networks” and decided to “contact them immediately to collaborate.”
Acquabella was assessed and enrolled by Sicnova, following approval it received materials such as a coil of PLA, EVA rubber (avoids direct contact of the visor with the skin), acetates to place in the visor, and a bag to store the printed pieces.
3D printers work by melting a thread (PLA coil) and the printer ensures that it acquires the desired shape, Acquabella is producing supports for the forehead – the transparent protector (acetate) is then put in place and a rubber band is attached to secure the visor to the back of the head.
Juan José Benavent, CEO of Acquabella commented “We have not changed direction or industry, we simply have a 3D printer that we can use to make prototypes, so we are using it to manufacture these face shields. We started on Wednesday because Sicnova had a queue, as they received 9,000 requests, and could not supply us all with the raw material. The van that distributes the material is the same van that collects them once manufactured.”
Acquabella can make an average of 40 or 50 protectors a day “It is like a normal printer, you send a PDF document and it comes out as desired. In this case, you put what you want and make a three-dimensional drawing that allows you to create the transparent masks, we are pleased to be in a position to help, and to demonstrate Acquabella’s commitment to the unity of effort that the health crisis demands.”
