{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,12]],"date-time":"2025-10-12T00:57:27Z","timestamp":1760230647668,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"15","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,7]],"date-time":"2022-08-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1659830400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>A mask is one of the most basic protections to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. Surgical mask tension release bands (SMTRBs) are commonly used to ease the pain caused by prolonged mask use. However, the structural strength of SMTRBs and the effect that wearing masks with SMTRBs has on the face are unclear. Thus, this study assessed the mechanics of seven different types of 3D-printed SMTRBs. In this study, a tensile testing machine, a sensor array system, and finite element analysis were used to evaluate the mechanisms of seven SMTRBs. The tensile testing machine was applied to measure the breaking strength, elongation, stiffness, and rupture of the band. The sensor array system was used to calculate the pressure on the face when the band was used together with the mask. Finite element analysis was applied to evaluate the level of stress on the SMTRB structure when each of the seven bands was subjected to external force. The results demonstrated that thick SMTRBs put more pressure on the face but had greater structural strength. The thinner bands did not break easily; however, the mask ear loops tended to slip off more often. In addition, the size of the band hook affected the magnitude of the external force. This study provides a biomechanical reference for the future design of SMTRBs.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s22155897","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,9]],"date-time":"2022-08-09T04:16:55Z","timestamp":1660018615000},"page":"5897","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Evaluations of 3D-Printed Surgical Mask Tension Release Bands for Common COVID-19 Use with Biomechanics, Sensor Array System, and Finite Element Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"22","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3632-0458","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kuo-Chih","family":"Su","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung 407, Taiwan"},{"name":"Department of Biomedical Engineering, HungKuang University, Taichung 433, Taiwan"},{"name":"Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Tunghai University, Taichung 407, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chun-Hsiang","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung 407, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yu-Chun","family":"Yen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung 407, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"(2022, July 29). Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic. Available online: https:\/\/www.who.int\/emergencies\/diseases\/novel-coronavirus-2019."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105730","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envint.2020.105730","article-title":"Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2: The world should face the reality","volume":"139","author":"Morawska","year":"2020","journal-title":"Environ. Int."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"635","DOI":"10.1080\/02786826.2020.1749229","article-title":"The coronavirus pandemic and aerosols: Does COVID-19 transmit via expiratory particles?","volume":"54","author":"Asadi","year":"2020","journal-title":"Aerosol Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_4","first-page":"2311","article-title":"It is time to address airborne transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)","volume":"71","author":"Morawska","year":"2020","journal-title":"Clin. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101903","DOI":"10.1063\/5.0025476","article-title":"A mathematical framework for estimating risk of airborne transmission of COVID-19 with application to face mask use and social distancing","volume":"32","author":"Mittal","year":"2020","journal-title":"Phys. Fluids"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"536","DOI":"10.1002\/jmv.25720","article-title":"Facing the COVID-19 outbreak: What should we know and what could we do?","volume":"92","author":"Yang","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Med. Virol."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2195","DOI":"10.1093\/cid\/ciaa593","article-title":"Importance of face masks for COVID-19: A call for effective public education","volume":"71","author":"Tso","year":"2020","journal-title":"Clin. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.1111\/cod.13555","article-title":"Skin reactions of N95 masks and medial masks among health care personnel: A self-report questionnaire survey in China","volume":"83","author":"Zuo","year":"2020","journal-title":"Contact Dermat."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"59","DOI":"10.1080\/15459624.2012.635133","article-title":"Discomfort and exertion associated with prolonged wear of respiratory protection in a health care setting","volume":"9","author":"Shenal","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Occup. Environ. Hyg."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rybicki, F.J. (2021). 3D printing of open-source respirators (including N95 respirators), surgical masks, and community mask designs to address COVID-19 shortages. 3D Printing in Medicine and Its Role in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Other Novel Medical and Non-Medical Devices, Springer International Publishing.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-61993-0"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rybicki, F.J. (2021). Literature and Media-Based Review of Personal Protective Equipment 3D Printing Efforts During COVID-19. 3D Printing in Medicine and Its Role in the COVID-19 Pandemic, Springer International Publishing.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-61993-0_2"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Manero, A., Smith, P., Koontz, A., Dombrowski, M., Sparkman, J., Courbin, D., and Chi, A. (2020). Leveraging 3D printing capacity in times of crisis: Recommendations for COVID-19 distributed manufacturing for medical equipment rapid response. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17134634"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"637","DOI":"10.1038\/s41578-020-00234-3","article-title":"The global rise of 3D printing during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"5","author":"Choong","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Mater."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1007\/s40964-020-00159-x","article-title":"The role of 3D printing during COVID-19 pandemic: A review","volume":"6","author":"Longhitano","year":"2021","journal-title":"Prog. Addit. Manuf."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"363","DOI":"10.1007\/s42247-021-00164-y","article-title":"3D printing in the battle against COVID-19","volume":"4","author":"Aydin","year":"2021","journal-title":"Emerg. Mater."},{"key":"ref_16","unstructured":"(2022, July 29). NIH 3D Print Exchange Home Page, Available online: https:\/\/3dprint.nih.gov."},{"key":"ref_17","first-page":"1","article-title":"3D printed mask extenders as a supplement to isolation masks to relieve posterior auricular discomfort: An innovative 3D printing response to the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"6","author":"Huellewig","year":"2020","journal-title":"3D Print. Med."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-022-09068-1","article-title":"On the durability of surgical masks after simulated handling and wear","volume":"12","author":"Varanges","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"228","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foot.2008.06.003","article-title":"The effect of different skin\u2013ankle brace application pressures with and without shoes on single-limb balance, electromyographic activation onset and peroneal reaction time of lower limb muscles","volume":"18","author":"Papadopoulos","year":"2008","journal-title":"Foot"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"171","DOI":"10.1007\/s40846-018-0428-4","article-title":"The impact of the finite element method on medical device design","volume":"39","author":"Driscoll","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Med. Biol. Eng."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107562","DOI":"10.1016\/j.compositesb.2019.107562","article-title":"Controlling toughness and strength of FDM 3D-printed PLA components through the raster layup","volume":"180","author":"Kiendl","year":"2020","journal-title":"Compos. Part B Eng."},{"key":"ref_22","unstructured":"(2022, July 29). GB 19083-2010: PDF in English. Available online: https:\/\/www.chinesestandard.net\/PDF.aspx\/GB19083-2010."},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"59","article-title":"Finite elements analysis of pla 3d-printed elements and shape optimization","volume":"2","author":"Baier","year":"2019","journal-title":"Eur. J. Eng. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_24","first-page":"1","article-title":"Bridge the gap: Correlate face mask leakage and facial features with 3D morphable face models","volume":"5","author":"Wang","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Expo. Sci. Environ. Epidemiol."}],"container-title":["Sensors"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/22\/15\/5897\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T00:05:24Z","timestamp":1760141124000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/22\/15\/5897"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,7]]},"references-count":24,"journal-issue":{"issue":"15","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,8]]}},"alternative-id":["s22155897"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/s22155897","relation":{},"ISSN":["1424-8220"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"1424-8220"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,7]]}}}