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By Mike Burris
A few months ago, we would have never imagined we would be fighting the pandemic that we’re now facing. CGR Products is currently classified as an “essential business”. We die cut critical engineered parts that go to other essential businesses. The amount of inquires we’ve received has been both overwhelming and a blessing, including companies that range from major automotive manufactures making ventilators to high school students 3D printing face shields in their homes.
The president of CGR Products recently gave an interview with our local news affiliate regarding how we are helping fight COVID-19 which you can watch below:
Helping in the Fight
A few products that went into production extremely fast are gaskets used for ventilator timers, die cut face masks, and die cut foam strips used on face shields.
Ventilators
The ventilator gaskets are a specialized neoprene rubber that have a 3M high temperature adhesive on both sides. We used to cut these gaskets years ago but the company moved the production overseas. Within 10 days we were able to locate the tooling which we still had, ordered the specialized material, and started die cutting the parts. The parts were then rushed to a major USA based automotive manufacturer where the ventilator is being produced.
Face Masks
A local company reached out to us about die cutting their own material to make face masks in a rush. This customer brought us a prototype of the mask and the material to be used. The face mask design is a closed cell material that is washable and reusable. From the sample, we created the tooling in house and started die cutting the masks. We were able to create a die to maximize the customers’ material utilization and start cutting immediately.
Face Shields
Face shield foam strips have also been in huge demand. We have been supplying these strips in materials that range from open cell polyurethane foam, to closed cell sponge. These can be stripped, cut and have varying thickness. We then apply adhesive to one side of the materials and either die cut to the finished desired strip or supply the materials in roll form.
A student from an area high school reached out to us looking for a material to use on face shields. The school has 3D Printing as part of their curriculum and they started making the clear plastic portion of the face shield. Here at CGR Products, we stock a wide variety of closed cell sponge and offered the school Armacell 3091 to use as the foam strip. We supplied them strips die cut 1.00” thick x 1.50” wide. The completed face shields were then supplied to medical staff in the local hospitals.
Follow the link from Armacell regarding the material used for foams for face shields.