VANCOUVER -- Breweries and distilleries around British Columbia have been making hand sanitizer for first responders and other essential workers who can't do their jobs from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Phillips Brewing and its distillery have been doing that, but they've also been working on another important product for those on the coronavirus front lines: face shields.
The Victoria brewery normally uses its 3D printer to make prototypes for parts to use in the brewing process, but as of Friday, the company has shifted gears.
The printer now churns out all the parts needed for face shields, except the clear shield itself, which is cut on a laser cutter, according to David Gilmour, maintenance engineer for Phillips Brewing.
"I've been looking for a way to help out with this crisis," Gilmour said. "I thought, 'We have a 3D printer here that we use for prototyping and making quick parts, if we could lend a hand in any way (we should).'"
When the parts are completed, they are brought to another location, where they are assembled into the full shield. The printer makes the parts needed for four shields daily, according to Gilmour.
