The ‘Hydro visor’ has been produced with 3D printers and the first delivery to various health care facilities in the immediate area took place in early May. Hydro Extrusion will donate a total of 100 visors to the municipality.

Per Andréen, born and raised in Vetlanda and Design Engineer at Hydro Extrusion, has, like most inhabitants in Sweden, followed the development of the Corona crisis in the media. A recurring point has been the global lack of protective equipment for healthcare professionals.

Andréen and his colleagues in the Design Engineer department decided to take the matter into their own hands. They started an intensive search for PETG material, which is a shock-resistant, odor-free and transparent plastic material for the visor itself.

During the Corona crisis, PETG has become a scarce commodity throughout Europe, which led Andréen to contact a large number of suppliers in Sweden to come up with a batch. The problem was finally solved and shortly thereafter the ‘Hydro visor’ was born in record time.

“This crisis shows that many obstacles can be overcome only if you are creative and solution-focused,” Andréen says. “After all, a large part of our everyday work is spent on it. I saw it as a chance to use my skills and experience to make a difference. For me it is a matter of contributing. Healthcare professionals around Sweden are doing a fantastic job right now. They carry the society on their shoulders. The ‘Hydro visor’ can hopefully ease their burden.”

When the design was complete, Andréen presented the visor for the Municipality of Vetlanda. Annika Wikståhl at the municipal procurement department and Helen Karlsson, medical responsible nurse, are both very pleased with the construction.

“After seeing the prototype, we are very grateful that Hydro wants to give us this type of visor. The visors maintain a high quality and meet the set requirements. A major advantage is that the visor is made to be used many times after cleaning,” says Wikståhl.

“The visors are gratefully received in our staff groups and will be of great benefit,” adds Helen Karlsson.

The 3D printers at Hydro's Extrusion plant i Vetlanda are now working at high speed to meet the demand. In a short time, the Design Engineering department, with Andréen in the lead, has redesigned the 3D printers to produce a large amount of the visors. Some production also takes place at Andréen’s own house. 

“We are very happy with the response, which also helps to create pride among the employees. People have an outstanding ability to quickly solve problems in crisis situations,” he says.