University of Pennsylvania team creating face shields for healthcare workers

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A team from the University of Pennsylvania is using technology to help boost supplies for healthcare workers on the front lines.

To help increase the amount of PPE, or personal protective equipment, that's available to our medical workers, a team of University of Pennsylvania engineers, alums, and social entrepreneurs halted their own business operations to mass-produce face shields on 3D printers.

"The people at the front lines are literal men and women in uniform and I think that for us to be able to make a contribution to those people who are risking their lives to protect ours, it feels really good," says Tiffany Yau, of Project SHIELDS.

They're currently creating 400 masks a day, with ten 3D printers around the clock.

The shields are plastic, reusable and can be sanitized.

They are doing this out of Pennovation in the Grays Ferry section of Philadelphia.

They've made thousands of masks so far for hospital workers all across this area and across the country -- free of cost.

"People are saying that it's a war zone," says Michael Wong of Project SHIELDS. "The shortage of PPE is truly devastating, so it pushes us to ramp up as fast as possible in this most important time."

In the next few months, they hope to produce 100,000 face shields.

Any healthcare worker or system can apply for them.

And anyone can donate to help Project SHIELDS keep production going.