Eau Claire, Wisconsin (May 13, 2020) – Xcel Energy employees are using 3D printers and ingenuity to help keep frontline utility and health care workers safe and comfortable during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Three Xcel Energy nuclear employees wanted to find a way to make wearing protective masks more comfortable around the ears. They found a solution with a simple plastic extender that’s made with a 3D printer. This small piece of plastic connects to a mask’s elastic bands and the ear discomfort is completely gone.
Using one company 3D printer, and two personal ones, the employees are able to make several hundred extenders per day. In addition to making the extenders for employees, they’re making 2,000 extenders per week to donate to frontline health care workers working in hospitals and clinics. Each strap is made with the words “STAY STRONG” and “HERO AT WORK” as part of the design.
This week, Xcel Energy will distribute nearly 2,000 mask ear extenders to the Marshfield Medical Center (Eau Claire), Mayo Clinic Health System (Eau Claire and La Crosse), HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital (Eau Claire) and Gundersen Health Systems (La Crosse).
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About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.