Additive manufacturing for COVID-19: Devices, materials, prospects, and challenges

Area of Science:

• Medical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Public Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic created a critical shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical devices.
• Improvised manufacturing, particularly 3D printing, emerged as a vital solution to address these needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the global crisis of PPE shortages during the pandemic.
• To review the application of 3D printing in manufacturing medical devices and PPE.
• To highlight the potential of 3D printing for rapid prototyping and scaled production.

Main Methods:

• Review of the 3D printing process using polymer materials.
• Analysis of various 3D printing projects for PPE and medical devices developed during the pandemic.
• Inclusion of validation and testing data for emerged 3D printed items.

Main Results:

• 3D printing demonstrated significant potential in addressing the urgent demand for PPE and medical devices.
• Various projects successfully utilized 3D printing for rapid prototyping and production of critical items.
• Validation and testing confirmed the efficacy of many 3D printed solutions.

Conclusions:

• 3D printing is a powerful tool for rapid prototyping and high-throughput production of medical devices and PPE.
• Additive manufacturing offers a flexible and scalable solution to mitigate supply chain disruptions during health crises.
• Continued development and validation of 3D printed medical supplies are crucial for future pandemic preparedness.