By Laura Griffiths, 22nd March 2020
A surge of additive manufacturing (AM) companies from service bureaus to makers have publicly declared their willingness to support the manufacture of much needed life-saving medical equipment. As the number of cases increases, our regular supply chains are struggling to facilitate demand for crucial items such as respiratory devices and protective masks. Here in the UK, our NHS is said to have around 5,900 vital ventilators but it is believed we could need almost quadruple that number to care for Covid-19 patients. It’s a similar situation across the world and AM companies believe this is the time to step up.
In Italy, the second worst affected country after China, 3D printing is already having an impact following a fast reacting exchange between an Italian journalist, the founder of a Milano Maker Lab and engineering company Isinnova. The collaboration led to the successful production of a prototype for a replacement valve for respiratory aids, which were then printed in a powder bed process in PA12 by AM provider Lonati SpA, and sent to a hospital in Brescia. The manufacturer was able to produce 100 within a day, at a cost of less than 1 Euro each.
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