Foster + Partners shares the prototype design for a reusable face visor

To aid the fight against Covid-19, Foster + Partners has designed a general-purpose prototype face visor, suitable for cleaning and reuse. It is specifically aimed at fast mass production...

All photos © Aaron Hargreaves / Foster + Partners

We are sharing the design templates and material specifications as an open-source design asset. This is to encourage both designers and in particular large-scale manufacturers to investigate the potential of digital and laser cutting machines as an alternative to 3D printing technology.

The prototype visor, designed by a team of industrial designers, modelmakers, architects and analysts, is made from three components: a visor made from 0.5mm optically clear PETG, an interlocking soft PP headband, and a surgical silicone rubber head strap that ties the two together. These are all cut on the practice’s digital flatbed cutter. Each visor can be cut from sheets in under 30 seconds and the elements can be assembled in under a minute. With our single cutting machine, we were able to cut and assemble components for 1,000 visor masks in a day, representing a reduction of days in the time taken to produce 3D-printed alternatives.

The visors can be produced and assembled or flat-packed and distributed in large quantities in a short span of time. An important advantage is that the visor can be easily disassembled, cleaned, sanitised and reused, addressing the growing shortage of raw materials for visor production. We are now delivering these prototype visors to a number of London hospitals where they are being tested. We are also exploring means of getting the design approved for mass production and use by health workers.

- Click here to download the assembly instructions
- Click here to download the file for the digital flatbed cutter (.dwg)
- Please note that by downloading these files you are accepting the following terms and conditions:

1. This design for a flat pack laser cut visor (the Design) is created and owned by Foster + Partners Limited and is licensed for non-commercial use under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International Public License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode#s2b) (“the CCL Terms”).
2. As set out in Section 5 of the CCL Terms, no representations or warranties of any kind concerning the Design are given.
3. By downloading and or using the Design files, you:

- accept and agree to the CCL Terms.
- acknowledge that:
* this Design has been created by Foster + Partners in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic;
* Foster + Partners has no prior expertise in the design and manufacture of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and therefore this Design has neither been made by reference to any specific regulations nor subject to any formal testing regime;
* that any user of the Design shall assume all responsibility for developing the design in conformity with regulatory and testing requirements of any markets it intends to make the visor available in.

Notes to editors:
- One zund G3 M 2500 cutting machine or equivalent can cut 217 per hour.
- The template offers two sizes – short and long.