Amidst all of the protests taking place, R&D Technologies continues to look for solutions through 3D printing.

The Narragansett Police Department was facing sparse resources to deal effectively with the riots across Rhode Island state. R&D Technologies helped design and print a riot shield for the department in hopes of adding precaution and safety for the policeman on the front lines of these protests.

The large model was printed on our Fortus900mc machine using FDM technology. The 900 offers a very large building platform, capable of producing such a large part. Along with part size, we had to consider which 3D printing material would hold up in a potentially forceful situation. To view our wide selection of 3D printing materials, click here.

After the model had finished printing, R&D Technologies subjected the riot shield to several stress tests. Our Vice President, Jordan Novak, is shown here holding the shield so you can get an idea of how big the part is (Jordan is about 6’4″). During the tests, our riot shield held up surprisingly well. The finished and tested product was then sent off to Narragansett Police Department.

We would like to thank our local police force for risking their safety so that we all may feel more secure during times such as these. Click here to learn more about the capabilities of our in-house manufacturing facility.