HEPA Covid Coronavirus Face Mask

UPDATE: Version 8 is now available, further tightened mask/cover fit/seal, more heights of covers available, 3 sizes in this design as well, a new adapter for 0.3mm thick filtration materials, which you can further personalize is your slicer (change just the height to fit your chosen cover height; or size down the entire adapter when using thicker filtration fabric)

GLADIUS Microbiological Breathing filter mask for medical personnel:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4242653

A very useful remix from jesscat to increase your filtration material surface (I'm still recommending a glue-like sealant)
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4266126

The aim of this design is to enable a maker to 3D print a reusable face mask, which would house a HEPA (or comparable) filter, which should ideally offer some protection to the wearer, and perhaps even more, to his surrounding.

The mask comes in 3 sizes.

Print recommendations:
No supports needed!! I recommend 50% infill, since the increased infill in this design results only in a very minor net weight gain.
The use of PLA filament is strongly encouraged, because of it's ability to be precisely fitted to each individual end-user. Better fit -> better seal -> better overall efficiency.

Individual end-user personalization - fitting:
There are two procedures for this:

• Microwave option. End-user puts the mask into the microwave for 30 seconds, then quickly (and still carefully, because of the potential residual heat) presses the mask up against his face, and holding there for a little while. In this way, plastic is reshaped to better fit each individual.
• Hot water option. Similar principles apply, the water temperature should be between 60 and 70 degrees C. The duration and temperature are still being experimented upon. I urge you to be EXTREMELY careful when dealing with hot water.

Installing the filter material:
From Update version 5 onwards, the grill of the cover part is somewhat reduced in size, in order to leave more room at the edges for a liquid sealant.
We recommend that the filter material is glued/fitted to the mask cover part for increased seal quality. You can use any compound, that is able to withstand up to 70 degrees C (!!!and also avoid any compounds, that could present a health hazard!!!)
Be sure to allow enough time for the glue/sealant compound to dry completely, as per the manufacturer's instructions.

You can also improve the overall efficiency of the mask by improving the cover/face mask seal; by using a similar adhesive/sealing (and not presenting a health-hazard!) to glue together said parts.

Face masks can be finished, meaning parts permanently glued together, in this manner because official scientific data from China states that the temperature of 56 degrees C for 30 minutes is enough to neutralize Covid19. Naturally, also because the precision of most ovens is not that high, we recommend a generous safety margin.

To neutralize the Covid19 virus (on the face mask, be it glued together or not), we recommend:

65 degrees for 35 minutes (in a preheated oven).
With this step, a facemask should be reusable many times.

Note that we do not take responsibility for the validity of this data, but reviewed official sources will soon be available on the new official website of this project at www.gladius.si

It is worth mentioning here that there are certified virus-filtering HEPA filters available, which fit our designs (the experimental ones, soon to be published) that are already of the acceptable dimensions, some even have a rubber outside perimeter, which should enable a perfect airtight seal on the relation filter material - face mask. More details to come!

Side note: The filter we used on the picture, is from a car air filter! We recommend that you use the best filter available to you, but even the lower quality filters should at least offer some protection to the people around you by reducing the amount of droplets you could potentially spread around. As it stands, the recommendation is HEPA H13, a variety of sources is confirming it's effectiveness.

Here is a link to a list of household items, used as filters, and their efficiency levels:
https://foro.coronavirusmakers.org/uploads/editor/6i/5okba4c4n0pb.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1xOIUhvL4nICjguRzQPMPx18tLmtS0VQkNYaH6aTFZbKon_L10POBAGm8

Here is an article about the efficiency of HEPA filters:
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20170005166.pdf

Side note: The filter we used on the picture, is from a car air filter! We recommend that you use the best filter available to you, but even the lower quality filters should at least offer some protection to the people around you.

!!!DISCLAIMER!!! The participants of this project do not take any responsibility for the use, use cases, dangers from the manufacturing process, and outcomes of wearing this design (or designs derived from it), in any way, shape, or form; nor do we claim that this project offers medical-grade, or any kind of protection from Covid19.

We realize and admit fully, that this is a prototype, and should not be considered as offering protection from Covid19. We recommend the use of HEPA filters not so much based on their official certifications, but on the utter lack of any medical-grade protective measures at the moment, especially available to common people.

Testing and certification of this face mask, from all aspects, from production, assembly, fitting and reusability, is currently under-way however. It should be repeated that user/manufacturer of this mask assumes ALL RESPONSIBILITY for, including, but not limited to: manufacturing, modifying the design, fitting procedures, disinfection procedures, wear, use.

Also, it is not the purpose of this project to replace official certified medical equipment, but to offer an alternative to bandanas, coffee filters (we're hearing such sad stories from throughout Europe) etc.
It is an open-source, good will project, aiming to do the best we can to help each other in a very difficult situation.