Billings Flying Service has partnered with Montana Molding Machine to bring another stock of protective masks to the community.
They hoped to contribute to the supply of personal protective equipment around Montana by creating a mask that would be easier and faster to make and more comfortable.
The injectable used to form the parts of the mask is created from a resin similar to a hot glue, which helps to make it pliable.
The injection mold machine is able to kick out anywhere from 500 to 1,000 masks a day, using a blueprint to program into a machine.
Yellowstone County Commissioner John Ostlund said that the county has ordered 500 masks from Montana Molding Machine.
They will add this to the 800 they will receive from Billings Clinic.
So far, that makes 1,300 masks for first responder organizations and employees.
"That Montana feeling of, you know, we can come together and we can make it happen is really the feeling that Billings Flying Service has. We look at a problem that other people say is impossible and say, let's take a second look and see what we can make happen," engineer Peter Yegen said.
The masks are reusable.
From here, they hope to grow to supplying nursing homes and clinics.
