Engel and Haidlmair Team Up for Reusable Face Mask

Injection molding machine and automation supplier Engel announced a project with mold maker Haidlmair for a two-piece reusable face mask molded from TPE where the wearer supplies (and cleans) the filter medium.

Made for new startup Providee GmbH, the mask protects the face and mouth and can be adjusted to fit the user’s face. On its website, Providee noted that from the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, “it became apparent that there would be bottlenecks in protective equipment and respiratory masks in Germany, as in almost all other countries in the world.” The company also foresaw a “mountain of garbage” resulting from the sudden mandated use of disposable masks. The company’s solution was a TPE mask featuring two interconnected half-shells into which an individual filter can be inserted and clamped. The filter material can be determined by the wearer, utilizing household materials. The filter medium can be cleaned or disposed of, while the TPE mask frame can be disinfected.

Engel has supplied injection molding machines specifically tailored to Haidlmair’s mold, including an Engel victory 330/80 for the single-cavity version, an Engel e-victory 740/160 for the two-cavity version, and an Engel duo 1560/350 for the four-cavity mold. Engel said its plants are giving highest priority to producing the machines ordered for Haidlmair’s face mask molds.