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Create your own 3D-printable face mask using the free My Face Mask Blender add-on

Metin Seven ·
Align the filter to your preference

Since the outbreak of the corona / COVID-19 virus, there’s a worldwide need for fitting face masks. Alessandro Zomparelli, the Italian developer of the Tissue addon that comes with Blender, has developed a new free addon called My Face Mask. To realize the project, Alessandro has worked together with the Italian WASP 3D printer manufacturer.

My Face Mask is a Blender addon that assists you in generating a fitting custom face mask. You can choose from a number of presets for several parts of the face mask, adjust multiple parameters like thickness of parts, perform manual fine-tuning, and ultimately export the result as a 3D model that’s ready for 3D printing.

To start, you’ll need a (rough) scan of the face for which the mask will be generated. This can be realized using any modern smartphone. Check the links at the bottom of the article for dedicated Google searches to get you going, and for links to the My Face Mask addon download page and instructions.

Below you can find a quick My Face Mask walkthrough. Please note that the screenshots show the development version of My Face Mask, so some options might have changed in newer versions. Check the video after the screenshots for updated instructions.

Click the Define Area button to start outlining the face area the mask should cover, then click on Adapt Mask
Click the ‘Define Area’ button to start outlining the face area the mask should cover, then click on ‘Adapt Mask’
A face mask is generated
A face mask is generated
Select a face mask filter model preset, and adjust properties like wall thickness
Select a face mask filter model preset, and adjust properties like wall thickness
Click the Align Filter button to adjust the filter position and orientation
Click the Align Filter button to adjust the filter position and orientation
Click the Manual Editing button to fine-tune the edges of the face mask
Click the Manual Editing button to fine-tune the edges of the face mask
Click Prepare Model to prepare the face mask for 3D printing
Click Prepare Model to prepare the face mask for 3D printing
Change Hangs Types and Border Profile for the face mask model, then export the model as a print-ready STL 3D file
Change Hangs Types and Border Profile for the face mask model, then export the model as a print-ready STL 3D file

Please check this video of a newer version of My Face Mask, for possible minor updates in workflow:

Once the 3D model file is exported, you’ll need (access to) a 3D printer to materialize the 3D model into an actual face mask. Below you can find a number of links to get you started.

Very important footnotes:

  • An air filter needs to be added to the 3D-printed mask for it to be become effective.
  • A 3D-printed face mask is not a comparably safe substitute for an industrially manufactured face mask, such as an N95 Respirator.

Stay safe!

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Author Metin Seven
Dutch illustrator and 3D designer ( metinseven.nl ). Former Blender Technical Artist, news cartoonist, comic creator, TV show animator, magazine editor and 16-bit game developer.
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