3D printing as a way out of the Corona crisis – what is possible?

The coronavirus has a major impact on our current lives. News about the shortage of medical care equipment is our daily bread. In this context, 3D printing continues to move into the spotlight. Find out what is actually possible and how a solidarity masterpiece can be achieved with a commercially available 3D printer in the article.

Why is 3D printing so important for the supply of medical protective equipment?

While conventional manufacturing of medical protective equipment is already in full swing, 3D printing is gaining ground. 3D printing is only used in specific industries (e.g.: aerospace) for mass production because the manufacturing costs per piece do not decrease. With injection moulding, on the other hand, the manufacturing costs per unit decrease. However, the existing 3D printers are able to support the current production and satisfy the associated demand. In addition, 3D printers can be used to quickly prototype new ideas for respirators, shields and other equipment. This allows new potentials to be exploited and alternative paths to be explored.

What protective equipment can be produced with a 3D printer?

To start with, a distinction should be made between industrial 3D printing and 3D printing for home use.

With industrial 3D printing, one has a wide range for the production of different equipment. With Multi Jet Fusion machines, components can be made from plastic and TPU. This can be used to print face shield holders, as well as adapters for ventilators and mask holders. Face shields and mask holders in particular are of enormous importance to medical personnel. When it comes to face masks that cover the mouth and nose, there is still no consensus. There are various basic frames for printing these masks, but a filter has to be inserted manually. However, these are not used in hospitals.

There are also face masks for self-printing, the models for which can be downloaded from Opensourcemask. However, we cannot say how good these masks really are and whether there is a protective effect. Other plastic parts, such as a door handle extension for opening by elbow, can also be printed. We strongly advise against adapters for respirators and tubes made of special filament. Always use tested medical equipment.

Summary

In this time of crisis, 3D printing provides further production capacity and counteracts the scarcity of the protective equipment described. The commercial printer can help individuals to print their own protective equipment. It should be noted that not all products can be printed. 3D printing offers additional advantages in the development of respiratory equipment. You can find out exactly what this involves in the second blog article.

You can request our models of protective equipment. We will send them to you immediately!

If you don’t have a 3D printer and need protective equipment, you can also contact us.

Please also visit our other articles on the subject of 3D printing and reconstruction for vintage and classic cars.