The design has since been picked up throughout the world by individuals such as Martich and Yang, as well as local organizations including both Coconino Community College and Northern Arizona University.

“This is an excellent design. We looked at a couple of others and this was far and away better than any of the ones we could find. It also was, I think, the most well-researched and legitimized mask that was out there,” said Jeff Jones, dean of CCC’s career and technical education, who has been overseeing the printing using CCC’s five 3D printers.

As recommended in the Montana Mask design, the CCC team is using a plant-based plastic for the masks, allowing them to be heated up without releasing any toxic fumes, Jones said. Each mask takes the college’s printers about four hours to create and, when there are no errors in the printing, they are able to create about six to eight masks a day. The masks, which cost less than $5 to make, are being produced using existing printer materials provided through a grant from the National Science Foundation.

The idea was proposed by Michael Merica, the college’s director of institutional research, who is originally from Montana. When family members and nurses there sent him the design, he felt it was an opportunity to help address the ongoing need for PPE.