Open AccessAdditive Manufacturing Can Assist in the Fight Against COVID-19 and Other Pandemics and Impact on the Global Supply Chain
Author(s) -
Eneko Larrañeta,
Juan Domínguez-Robles,
Dimitrios A. Lamprou
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
3d printing and additive manufacturing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.917
H-Index - 26
eISSN - 2329-7670
pISSN - 2329-7662
DOI - 10.1089/3dp.2020.0106
Subject(s) - pandemic , covid-19 , face shield , supply chain , personal protective equipment , business , supply and demand , health care , marketing , medicine , economic growth , economics , virology , disease , pathology , outbreak , infectious disease (medical specialty) , microeconomics
The high demand on medical devices and personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 crisis left millions of health care professionals unprotected in the middle of this situation, as governments around the world were not prepared for such pandemic. The three-dimensional printing (3DP) community, from universities to 3DP enthusiasts with printers at home, was there to support hospitals from day 1 on this demand by providing PPE and other medical supplies (e.g., face shields and valves for respiratory machines). This editorial covers the importance of 3DP in the fight against COVID-19 and how this can be used to tackle potential pandemics and support the supply chain.