What happened: LNG Studios is printing and delivering reusable face shields to health-care workers across Metro Vancouver
Why it matters: Protective gear is in limited supply amid the pandemic
Leon Ng’s day job means melding technology with real estate services.
The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has thrust the CEO of LNG Productions Inc. (LNG Studios) into moonlighting as a medical supply manufacturer.
With five 3D printers running at maximum capacity at his downtown Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»office, Ng’s team has been producing about 35 face shields a day for frontline health-care workers in the Lower Mainland.
“They’re in dire and critical need for this protective gear,” he told Business in Vancouver in a March 27 phone interview.
After submitting prototype face shields to hospitals for approval last week, the LNG Studios team has since delivered units to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»General Hospital, St. Paul’s Hospital and Richmond Hospital.
Lions Gate Hospital, Surrey Memorial Hospital and Burnaby Hospital have now all contacted LNG Studios about tapping into the next available supply.
With 120 face shields produced so far, Ng’s urging the local 3D-printing community, the real estate sector and others to help produce more.
for the next round of production, which needs $2,000 to cover the cost of printing 60 additional face shields.
Ng, meanwhile, said he’s received 100 emails from the 3D-printing community expressing interest in joining the effort.
The initiative comes , which specializes in 3D printing for real estate applications like prototypes that help with view cones or marketing at presentation centres.
After finding an open-source 3D model for the face shields, the company’s 3D-printing assets have been redeployed to print the visor portion of the face shields.
The company is working with local plastic suppliers to supply and laser-cut transparent acrylic sheets for the face shields.
In a follow-up email to BIV, Ng said reusable personal protective equipment (PPE) is vital for frontline workers.
“The burn rate of traditional PPE is too high and supply is critically low,” he said.
The campaign is also asking for suppliers who can help source and cut additional acrylic sheets.
More information about the campaign can be found at
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