How N95 Face Masks Are Made? You Won’t Believe What Goes Into Them!

A respirator, or dust mask, is a type of personal protective equipment that covers your mouth and nose to prevent you from breathing in dangerous particles in the air while still letting you breathe comfortably, unlike facemasks (think hockey masks). N95 respirators, which protect against 95% of airborne particles, are the most common type of facemask used by professionals. How are they made? You won’t believe what goes into them!

The Beginning
Before you can start working on how to make an N95 face mask, you need to first understand what it is. An N95 face mask is a respirator that protects against particulate matter in industrial or non-industrial environments. That sounds fancy, but they’re really just masks that cover your mouth and nose that protect against particles in dust and dirt that could cause breathing problems or illness. They’re also sometimes referred to as dust masks; we’ll refer to them as both for simplicity. To be certified by NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health), these masks must have at least 95% filtration efficiency against solid aerosols (small particles) like coal dust, lead dust, asbestos fibers, silica dusts, and any other fine particulates. They are commonly used in construction work where there may be high levels of debris or airborne pollutants.

Molding – The Hardest Part
When you first start, you might be tempted to cut corners. Save some money by buying cheaper materials. Maybe your machines aren’t as accurate or high quality as they should be. Whatever it is, understand that molding is where all of your problems begin. It isn’t cheap, but it’s what makes everything else possible. If your molds are off, if they don’t fit correctly, if there are air bubbles or wrinkles in them, then every single mask will come out with flaws. The best way to avoid these issues is to get a top-notch molder involved from day one and make sure he understands exactly what you want and how important accuracy is.

Testing the Mask
Testing is an important part of ensuring that these masks will work properly in a wide variety of environments. A mask will not be effective if it chokes off your breathing in an office building, but it also won’t work effectively if it doesn’t block out pathogens while you are standing outside all day on a construction site. The testing process ensures that when you buy an N95 face mask, you can feel confident knowing that it was specifically designed to handle whatever situation or environment you might find yourself in.

Transporting the Mask
Transporting is one of those annoying times when you have to make sure that you remember to pack your face mask. Most of us try to never leave home without it, so we have it with us no matter where we go. But sometimes transporting can be a hassle, especially if you don’t live close enough to work or school, and you have to stop off somewhere on your way there. Luckily, most masks are small enough to fit in a purse or pocket, but some may take up more room than others. It all depends on how big they are and what type they are. For example, some masks might come in their own carrying case while others might not. If yours doesn’t come with its own carrying case then you will need to purchase one separately.

The End Product
There’s a lot more to making an N95 face mask than you might think. To get it right, manufacturers employ some serious science and engineering. They use advanced production methods like spray coating and selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printing technology to produce high-precision masks that are extremely efficient at preventing germs from getting into your body.