Mask Extenders

Mask extenders (also known as ear savers) prevent the elastic straps of your mask from making your ears sore from prolonged use. UNMC has a limited number of mask extenders that it plans to distribute to each college/unit.

If you have access to a 3D printer, you may print your own mask extenders (see templates below).

UNMC continues to build its inventory of mask extenders with help from the McGoogan Health Sciences Library and other partners. For now, while there is demand for mask extenders and while Nebraska Medicine is in crisis care status, the McGoogan maker studio is not open to users to create their own mask extenders or other items. 

3D Templates

The files below are what the McGoogan library is currently printing. Many other designs are available on Thingiverse or NIH 3D Print Exchange that may meet specific needs/adjustments.

Print a single mask extender

File link - https://go.unmc.edu/singleextender

  • Type of filament - We are using PLA. Others would work as well.
  • Quantity produced from this file as printed - One (you can replicate more on the printer)
  • Time to complete on a typical desktop 3D printer - 17 minutes per extender
  • For best success - Place multiple copies of this on the print bed. This is the primary one we are printing. It has the best combination of print speed and usability in my opinion. 

Print multiple mask extenders

File link - https://go.unmc.edu/8stackextenders

  • Type of filament - We are using PLA. Others would work as well.
  • Quantity produced from this file as printed - Eight
  • Time to complete on a typical desktop 3D printer - 1 hour and 45 minutes (13 minutes per extender), plus separation time.
  • For best success - Must print at a layer height of 0.2mm. This file prints eight mask extenders in a stack. These need to be separated using a tool like a flat screwdriver or letter opener. This is useful if you are printing overnight, and you want to maximize the amount printed in a single printing session. 

Print multiple mask extenders

File link - https://go.unmc.edu/10flatextenders

  • Type of filament - We are using PLA. Others would work as well.
  • Quantity produced from this file as printed - 10
  • Time to complete on a typical desktop 3D printer - 3.5 hours (22.5 minutes per extender)
  • For best success - This is the most common design printed in the past two years.