3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, involves building three-dimensional objects layer by layer from a digital design. This technology proved instrumental during the COVID-19 pandemic, a global health crisis that disrupted traditional supply chains for essential medical supplies. The rapid spread of the virus led to unprecedented demand, highlighting conventional manufacturing’s limitations in responding to immediate, expansive needs.
Producing Personal Protective Equipment
The COVID-19 pandemic created an immediate shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers and the public. 3D printing offered a quick solution, allowing for on-demand production of face shields, respirator masks, and mask adjusters. Face shields, for example, were produced by numerous entities using 3D printed frames and transparent plastic sheets, providing a barrier against airborne particles.
FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) printers, which use thermoplastic filaments, were widely utilized due to their accessibility and ability to produce items quickly. Some respirator mask designs, such as N95 mask seals, were customized using 3D facial laser scanning for a proper fit and enhanced protection. Simple items like ear savers or mask adjusters were also 3D printed to alleviate discomfort from prolonged mask wear, demonstrating the technology’s adaptability.
Assisting Medical Device Manufacturing
Beyond PPE, 3D printing created or repaired specific medical device components, addressing supply chain gaps for complex equipment. Ventilator parts, such as splitters and adapters, were 3D printed to allow a single ventilator to support multiple patients during periods of severe shortages. These components, often made from materials like nylon or polycarbonate, could be produced at rates of 50 to 100 units per day.
Nasopharyngeal swabs, critical for COVID-19 diagnostic testing, also saw significant production through 3D printing. Companies like Formlabs used their 3D printers and biocompatible resins, such as Surgical Guide Resin, to manufacture up to 100,000 nasal swabs daily. These 3D printed swabs were clinically tested and performed as well as or better than traditional flocked swabs for sample collection, offering a cost-efficient alternative at 26 to 46 cents per swab compared to commercial swabs costing around $1 each.
Advancing Research and Testing
3D printing supported advancements in COVID-19 research and testing by enabling rapid prototyping and specialized laboratory equipment. Researchers explored the use of 3D printed microneedle patches for vaccine development and delivery. These patches, typically 1×1 centimeter squares with a 10×10 grid of microneedles, aim to deliver vaccine doses directly to the skin, which contains a higher concentration of immune cells than muscle.
Studies indicated that these 3D printed microneedle patches can induce an immune response significantly greater than traditional injections, with some reports showing a response 10 times greater than a vaccine delivered into an arm muscle. This technology allows for precise designs, enabling intricate structures like cage-like pyramidal microneedles to protect vaccine cargo. The ability to quickly iterate and test new designs accelerated efforts in developing more efficient and less invasive vaccine delivery methods.
Community-Driven Manufacturing Efforts
A distinguishing feature of the 3D printing response was the widespread engagement of decentralized, community-led initiatives. Individuals, small businesses, and “maker” communities leveraged their personal 3D printers to produce and distribute essential items locally. This collaborative effort involved sharing open-source designs for PPE and medical device components through social media and online repositories.
For example, Maker Nexus, a non-profit, used its 3D printers to produce masks for local hospitals, demonstrating how distributed manufacturing could quickly scale up production. Groups with over 200 members produced between 400 and 600 face shields daily for local use, collectively addressing shortages that traditional supply chains struggled to meet. This grassroots movement highlighted the power of open-source collaboration and localized production.