Many sign substrate manufacturers have switched production to produce the materials needed to produce PPE. Wide-format businesses have also banded together to print signage and informational displays for front line locations such as hospitals and shops.

Now many companies and organisations from a range of industries such as schools, universities, and companies that provide personalised gifts, acrylic fabrication and paper processing, are all using their laser cutting equipment to help.

The benefit of laser cutting machines is that they are versatile and can cut a variety of materials with fast processing times. Laser cutting also means that PPE such as face shields and visors can be cut quickly and easily to meet UK government guidelines.

Trotec, a supplier of laser cutting, engraving and marking machines has created a design file for dace shields and says many of its customers have been putting this to use.

Patternise usually produces intricate laser cut paper displays but using Trotec’s design it has been able to produce over 1,500 visors so far, completely free of charge.

Rob Payne, owner of the Patternise says: “We immediately accepted the challenge to make visors for key frontline health workers, primarily manufacturing on our high-speed Trotec GS1000 laser cutting machine.

“We were able to supply 1,600 visors within an extremely aggressive timeframe, and thanks to the support of our suppliers, we were able to supply all visors at no charge to those in desperate need.”

Andrew Rudge, a computer engineer was originally using a 3D printer to produce one visor every two hours. After switching to a Trotec Speedy 100 laser cutter, he is now able to make 70 visors every few hours and has sent 200 complete kits out to date, with another batch of 1000 on its way.

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