JAMESTOWN, N.Y. — It began with a phone call from an emergency management operations center member in Cattaraugus County in southwestern New York in early March.
“Does Jamestown Community College have 3D printing capabilities?” asked the caller. “We need face shields desperately and are hoping the college could help produce some for us.”
Within 24 hours, JCC president Daniel DeMarte had begun pulling together a group of emergency management personnel, BOCES leaders, JCC employees, and others to discuss how they could help Jamestown Plastics, a Chautauqua County business with far greater capacity than JCC to produce medical grade face shields, meet the demand for personal protective equipment as the COVID-19 pandemic bore down on the state and nation.
All agreed the need for production and distribution of face shields for healthcare personnel would be satisfied at home first, then opened to other county emergency operations centers throughout New York state. Ultimately, 14,000 face shields would be delivered to emergency responders and healthcare employees in Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua counties at the outset, with JCC coordinating orders from among the state’s 59 other county emergency operations units.
“JCC is proud of its role as a strong community presence and providing support to employers,” said DeMarte. “When we became aware of the need to help protect the communities we serve, we galvanized all of our resources to assist Jamestown Plastics.”
JCC’s workforce readiness department handled orders while the BOCES centers coordinated deliveries to drop-off locations in the three-county area.
Like other front line personnel, but with a distinctly different role, was Alec Travis-Daugherty.
Travis-Daugherty was integral to the design of what became the TrueHero Extreme Coverage Face Shield. Hired as a design engineer at Jamestown Plastics after graduating from JCC in 2015 with a degree in mechanical technology, Travis-Daugherty now found himself working fast computer-aided design magic to bring the pen on paper concepts of Jamestown Plastics’ president Jay Baker and his son, Jessup, the company’s tooling and design engineer, to reality.
With both Bakers standing behind him as he finessed measurements in the CAD program at Jamestown Plastics, Travis-Daugherty began modeling a prototype.
“I had to make sure we had the big production tool designed the first week (of the process),” said Travis-Daugherty. Input from local healthcare professionals was a key element of the design, he added. After Jessup Baker finalized tooling for the face shield, the company was ready to begin fulfilling orders on March 23.
Jamestown Plastics, with plants in Brocton as well as Brownsville, Texas, has been an industry leader in custom plastics for more than 60 years. The company, which produces thermoformed products in the medical, aerospace defense, electronics, consumer goods, and automotive industries, is proud of its employees.
“Our core philosophy — fulfilling customers’ needs through diversification, innovation and invention — has led us into many exciting fields and technologies,” noted Jay Baker. “Being able to assist those working at the front lines of a national health crisis adds another dimension to the character and commitment of our team. I couldn’t be prouder of what we’re producing.”
Travis-Daugherty, who graduated with honors in his degree as well as a certificate in machine tool technology, found that his JCC education helped him bring new technological perspectives to Jamestown Plastics’ brands, the Clamtainer (Click it Clam) and the DoomBox. Working on a protective face shield provided another avenue for taking a concept to fruition under extraordinary and critical circumstances.
“JCC prepared me for almost exactly what I needed for this job,” said Travis-Daugherty, whose quiet and soft-spoken demeanor underscores a calm and deliberate approach. His training at JCC, he added, provided him the skills he needed on both the computer and in mechanical elements to work expeditiously to make sure a product works well once it’s designed and tooled.
“I am ecstatic that I was able to be a part of something like this,” he added. “It means so much that I can help out people in the field who are truly risking their lives. Hopefully this project can help protect them from this current crisis and any future threats.”
The TrueHero Extreme Coverage Face Shield is constructed of Clearon, a medical grade plastic with exceptional visual clarity. The reinforced shield features a proprietary flanged edge that, unlike flat shields, maximizes protection from the periphery. Multi-port exhaust channels release heat and moisture yet preclude the entry of germs. And, it can be reused multiple times after disinfecting.
The TrueHero shield offers full-range view ability, is extremely lightweight, and is easily grasped from behind to satisfy handling protocol. The shield features an adjustable hook-and-loop strap and a foam forehead pad.
To date, Jamestown Plastics has produced more than 30,000 TrueHero face shields for distribution in at least 20 states.
“JCC’s support in the initial stages of this project made all the difference,” Jay Baker emphasized. “I can’t thank the college — as well as my employees — enough. It’s an awesome partnership.”
Citing pride in JCC’s ability to help mobilize efforts to meet a public health need, DeMarte also emphasized his conviction in the skills JCC graduates can deploy immediately into the manufacturing workforce.
“Alec is just one example of how well we prepare our students,” said DeMarte. “Manufacturers in our region need more employees like him: ready to work with the right skills for the job.”
