3D Printing to Assist with COVID-19 Medical Supply Shortages

3D Innovations’ COVID-19 Response

3D Innovations is committed to helping Hawaii’s medical community with on-demand 3D printing of critical components during the COVID-19 crisis. Hospitals are dealing with an unprecedented shortage of N95 face masks as COVID-19 grips the nation. This shortage has led to a creative on-demand solution—3D printing. Hospitals and care facilities are reaching out to 3D printing companies to help fill the short-term need of N95 face masks, face shields and critical ventilator parts.

Hawaii is now under a “Stay at Home” order as the state tries to minimize the growing number of COVID-19 cases. However, as cases climb there is the real possibility that our hospitals throughout the state will also face a supply shortage, and our team is ready to help with our on-demand 3D printing services.

Our President, Collin Kobayashi, has almost 20 years in the 3D design, manufacturing, and 3D printing spaces. His extensive experience involves working with various materials for functional applications. While developing many projects, prototypes have been made using FDM, SLA, SLS, binder jetting, material jetting, other polymers and metals. With him leading our efforts, we are ready to help our medical community during these uncertain times.

While 3D printed masks are not a long-term substitution for medical grade N95 masks, it can provide temporary relief for those that do not have masks available. Using on-demand 3D printing, masks can be customized to various sizes to fit children and adults. In addition to 3D printed masks, 3D printing can also produce the much-needed parts for respirators and ventilators that can’t be kept in inventory.

The materials that are used with 3D printing may not be medical grade, so extra precaution in sterilization practices should be taken prior to use.

Community support is imperative during times of crisis, and we are here to provide our technical expertise to help our medical professionals.

If your facility is in need of critical medical components, please contact Collin Kobayashi directly at collin.kobayashi@3d-innovations.com or by phone at +1 (808) 722-8667

Read more about the ways the 3D printing community is coming together to help medical communities around the globe and ways to get involved.