Our @ Home with.. feature recently shared the story of three Neumann/Smith designers who have teamed up to make 3D printed face shields that are now being donated to area hospitals and clinics. The effort is aided by the use of 3D printers provided by Lawrence Technological University and LTU’s Detroit Center for Design + Technology. It also caught the eye of Jason Shweky, a Penn State University sophomore and the son of DCDT Manager Andrea Bogart of Oakland County, Mich.

​@Home with Jason Shweky

While finishing up the semester away from campus, Jason Shweky had been looking for a way to contribute his time to helping health care workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 response in Michigan. He’s staying home, staying safe with family here and happened to have a 3D printer of his own. His mother was aware of the efforts at Neumann/Smith and suggested it might be just the sort of thing he was looking to do.
 
“Face Shields seemed like the best thing to start on and I was sent multiple designs through Neumann/Smith to choose to print,” Jason says. “I started printing the masks, which admittedly were a pretty big (project) for my printer. After making some adjustments with the settings, I was able to cut the print time in half and started making as many as I could.”

Jason donated his Face Shields to the Emergency Room at Beaumont, Royal Oak and will continue to 3D print and donate.

Here’s what a day at home with Jason is like:
 

 DCDT: Where are working from these days?
JS: “I'm living every college student's dream; I’m living in my mom's basement. In all seriousness though, I love being here in Michigan and spending time with (my mother) and my stepfather.

​DCDT: What’s the best part about working from home?
JS: “The best part of working here is being with my mom. I did not get to see her much while at Penn State so it is wonderful to catch up with her.”

DCDT: What’s the hardest part? 
JS: “The hardest thing is time management. I used to struggle with it a lot, and now that days of the week do not exist anymore, it is difficult to plan out my schedule.”

DCDT: What digital platforms are you using most at this time?
JS: “I am using Discord to keep up with friends, I dabble in Photoshop. For 3D printing, I design using Autodesk Inventor and print using PrusaSlicer.”

DCDT: What’s your favorite option for delivery or carry-out?
JS: “There was NO good pizza where I was living at college and being from Brooklyn I am a very pizza-centric man. I love to order from Crispelli’s. They make pizza that reminds me of New York City.  Buddy's also has good pizza - and a surprisingly great mac and cheese.”

DCDT: How are you spending extra time?
JS: “I am spending the extra time playing games with my friends as well as designing and printing things on my 3D printer. I love to troubleshoot it and make it better as it's not a particularly expensive printer. I am also in the midst of learning to fly a drone.”

If you’d like to join the effort to assist in making face shields for donation, please contact John McGarry at jmcgarry@ltu.edu or AIA Detroit for resources. He assures us “there is plenty to do including if you do not have a 3D printer” like Jason does.
 
Would you like to be featured in an upcoming @ home with… interview? Just drop a line to stephanie@prologuedetroit.com and we’ll reach out with questions, request a photo and add you to our growing list of Detroit entrepreneurs, designers, architects and artists. Stay safe. Stay @ Home with us.