Page 11 - Penn State Mechanical Engineering Magazine 2020

In response to the pandemic, the Manufacturing and Sterilization for COVID-19 (MASC) Initiative was launched at Penn State
in March. With more than 350 interdisciplinary researchers contributing, the initiative focused on designing and delivering rapidly scalable solutions and generating tangible impact, particularly within the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The initiative was entirely homegrown in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Tim Simpson, professor of mechanical engineering and industrial and manufacturing engineering, first led the project. Changing the guard in July, Mary Frecker, professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Penn State Center for Biodevices, is now at the helm.
MASC reached a milestone quickly in April, when a group of physicians gathered at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center to meet virtually with faculty members. They were presented with several 3D-printed protective mask designs to test and provided direct feedback on fit, size, and comfort.
“The energy at the prototyping sessions was electric,”
said Dr. Neerav Goyal, a physician at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, who attended the event. “It is clear that the University researchers are very interested in translating their research expertise into real-world solutions for the current public health crisis.”
MASC was well poised for early impacts, thanks to
the University’s broad network. In early March, MASC partnered with the College of Medicine and their Center for Medical Innovation’s Accelerating Innovation in a Crisis program that committed substantial resources to solving clinical needs at Penn State Health.
“It has been exciting to be speaking with engineers who are able to think outside of clinical constraints and current practices,” Goyal added.
Simpson said, “What we knew from the start is that Penn State can mobilize the rapid innovations needed to design these supplies. Then, we can build out the supply chain with our industry partners near each hospital to physically produce the items and ensure FDA compliance.”
While the initial prototypes were 3D
printed, in order to scale manufacturing to
meet the current demand, several traditional manufacturing companies, with existing certifications and FDA compliance, were recruited to create the mask’s shell.
However, the devices still required a filtration material within the shell.
MASC contributors, including Sue Purdum from the Center for Supply Chain Research within the Smeal College of Business, sourced a large supply of a non-woven textile that met the specifications for filtering particles in the air. While the material has not previously been used for face masks, Simpson said that after careful testing by experts in the Materials Research Institute, the material was found to provide the necessary protection.
With all the components in place, Simpson said the masks have entered mass production, in order to supply facilities such as Hershey Medical Center and Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center in Reading.
Looking to the future, the MASC Initiative is transitioning to a research and development hub that continues to address the often unexpected and critical needs prompted by the pandemic.
“We now span 21 commonwealth campuses and multiple colleges, all with the hope of having direct and immediate impact on our communities,” Simpson said. “We are leveraging our Penn State connections across the entire state.”
Response to COVID-19
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