Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Sustainable Plastics
  • Rubber News
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Processor News
    • Suppliers
    • More News
    • Digital Edition
    • End Markets
    • Special Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Resin pricing news
    • Videos
    • Injection Molding
    • Blow Molding
    • Film & Sheet
    • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
    • Rotomolding
    • Thermoforming
    • Recycling
    • Machinery
    • Materials
    • Molds/Tooling
    • Product news
    • Design
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Sustainability
    • Public Policy
    • Material Insights Videos
    • Numbers that Matter
    • Automotive
    • Packaging
    • Medical
    • Consumer Products
    • Construction
    • CEO Issue
    • Diversity
    • Best Places to Work
      • 2022 winners
    • Processor of the Year
    • Rising Stars
    • Women Breaking the Mold
  • Opinion
    • The Plastics Blog
    • Kickstart
    • One Good Resin
    • BRICS and Plastics
    • All Things Data
    • Viewpoint
    • From Pillar to Post
    • Perspective
    • Mailbag
    • Fake Plastic Trees
  • Shop Floor
    • Blending
    • Compounding
    • Drying
    • Injection Molding
    • Purging
    • Robotics
    • Size Reduction
    • Structural Foam
    • Tooling
    • Training
  • Events
    • K Show Livestream
    • Plastics News Events
    • Industry Events
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Livestreams/Webinars
    • Editorial Livestreams
    • Ask the Expert
    • Plastics News Events Library
    • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Plastics News Executive Forum
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Plastics News Caps & Closures
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
    • Plastics in Automotive
    • Reuters Responsible Business Europe 2022
    • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
    • Polymer Points Live
    • Numbers that Matter Live
    • Plastics in Politics Live
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
    • Plastics in Healthcare Library
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
  • Resin Prices
    • All Resins
    • Commodity TPs
    • High Temp TPs
    • ETPs
    • Thermosets
    • Recycled Plastics
    • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
    • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
    • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
    • Historic Thermosets
    • Historic Recycled Plastics
  • Rankings & Data
    • Injection Molders
    • Blow Molders
    • Film Sheet
    • Thermoformers
    • Pipe Profile Tubing
    • Rotomolders
    • Mold/Toolmakers
    • LSR Processors
    • Recyclers
    • Compounders - List
    • Association - List
    • Plastic Lumber - List
    • All
  • Directory
  • Custom
    • Sponsored Content
    • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
    • Conair Sponsored Content
    • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
    • ENGEL Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Classifieds
    • Place an Ad
    • Sign up for Early Classified
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
March 20, 2020 12:27 PM

3D firms step up to fill supply chain shortages

Sarah Kominek
Sarah Kominek
Staff Reporter
Plastics News Staff
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Isinnova
    Isinnova and Ionati SpA teamed up to spearhead work 3D printing respirator parts.

    As the coronavirus outbreak spreads globally, 3D printing firms have been stepping in to help fill the need for everything from respirator parts to touch-free door handles.

    The moves come as governments call on companies to shut down most non-essential manufacturing, automakers shutter assembly lines and more cancellations pile up.

    Silicon Valley 3D printing specialist Carbon Inc. said it's seeing the need for even more production and is asking companies, governments and others to reach out with requests for the company to fulfill urgent production needs for polymer parts.

    Joseph DeSimone, co-founder and chairman of Carbon, said that during this pandemic now, and in preparation for future interruptions, it is essential that global supply chains are diversified and adaptable. That opens the need for more adaptable production.

    "The escalating global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic exposes vulnerabilities related to supply chains and what can happen when supply chains are not adaptable," DeSimone told Plastics News in an email. "As the world faces increasing medical supply shortages, additive manufacturing technologies can help meet critical production needs by avoiding problems that traditional supply chains continue to experience due to regional shut-downs and global transportation disruptions."

    Carbon's large network of contracted manufacturing partners — 52 of them in 10 countries — can print parts on demand, he said. Carbon has resins with properties to make complex fluid and gas fixtures, electronic components and molds for other products including silicone diaphragms, pumping systems and elastomeric components.

    "Carbon printers are all connected to the cloud, so when such a disruption occurs, even if one facility goes down, digital designs for parts can easily be shifted to and manufactured at another facility as needed," DeSimone said.

    Meanwhile in Italy, which has surpassed China in its number of deaths due to the virus at 3,405 fatalities as of early on March 20, researchers and 3D printing startups in the country stepped in to meet demand for respirator valves at a hospital in Brescia after it ran out of the life-saving part.

    Because the original manufacturer couldn't supply the parts in time, Isinnova — the Institute of Studies for the Integration of Systems, an Italian research institute — and Lonati SpA worked together to provide the hospital with 100 3D printed valves in just 24 hours at no cost to the hospital, which had over 250 coronavirus patients in intensive care at the time, according to a BBC report.

    HP said in a LinkedIn post March 18 that it is designing and preparing to produce essential medical products for first responders and hospitals, including ventilator valves, breathing filters and face mask clasps.

    "We will make available any HP proprietary design files for these parts so they can be produced anywhere in the world," Ramon Pastor, interim president of HP 3D printing said in the post. "And we are also helping end-customers bridge potential supply chain interruptions by expanding distributed print-on-demand capabilities."

    A better handle

    Leuven, Belgium-based digital designer Materialise created a 3D printed, hands-free door opener to eliminate direct contact with door handles. The design was originally developed in a meeting intended to focus on preventing the spread of the virus in its own headquarters.

    Kristof Sehmke, global communications manager at Materialise told Plastics News that the idea for the handle became a physical product in just 24 hours.

    "That wouldn't be possible with any other manufacturing technology," Sehmke said.

    Materialise is allowing free downloads of the design for anyone with a 3D printer to produce. As of March 19, the handle design had been downloaded more than 7,000 times, Sehmke said.

    "That's the power of this technology," he said. "Within a matter of hours the design was available globally. There's more than a half-million 3D printers around the world. … In times when travel and transport are jeopardized the ability to manufacture locally becomes really important."

    The hands-free handle also already comes in multiple models, he said. Materialise's design engineers are still working on models to fit more door handles.

    In addition to offering free downloads of the design, Materialise is printing models the handles at cost to anyone who orders them online.

    "We don't have any intention to make a profit off this product," Sehmke said.

    Materlialise is also working with industry partners and local universities to look into production of protective facial masks in light of massive shortages.

    "We have a team for it, but it's not as obvious because it has specific challenges," he said. "It's not just about making the masks. In a medical environment they need to be certified, tested and 100 percent safe. … There's also the issue of scaling, can we print 50,000 or 100,000 of these in a short time frame?"

    "We're not the only ones who are doing this, of course, and we're really excited to see this industry coming together and offering solutions," Sehmke said. "It's a great opportunity make a positive contribution and to show the capabilities of this technology in these difficult times."

    Beyond 3D printing, companies began shifting to increase production of needed items.

    Automakers in Europe and the United States said they were looking at whether they could convert their production lines to produce medical parts, including respirators.

    French materials company Arkema SA said in a March 20 news release that it is repurposing a production line at its Rhône Alpes Research Center, near Lyon, to produce 20 tons of alcohol-based sanitizing solution per week. The solution will be distributed free of charge of hospitals in France, the company said.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    One killed, two injured in shooting at WeatherTech facility
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Plastics News would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor at [email protected]

    Most Popular
    1
    Pandemic-prompted reshoring creates growth for medical injection molders
    2
    Lego to build $1B US molding plant
    3
    Boston Group consolidating, growing in Ohio
    4
    Atkore buys HDPE pipe maker United Poly, continuing M&A push
    5
    Numbers that Matter Live - June 2022
    SIGN UP FOR TO RECEIVE THESE EMAILS AND ENEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe today

    Subscribe to Plastics News

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Plastics News covers the business of the global plastics industry. We report news, gather data and deliver timely information that provides our readers with a competitive advantage.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI 48207-2997

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1723

    Resources
    • About
    • Staff
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Media Kit
    • Data Store
    • Digital Edition
    • Custom Content
    • People
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Sitemap
    Related Crain Publications
    • Sustainable Plastics
    • Rubber News
    • Urethanes Technology
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Tire Business
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2022. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Processor News
        • Injection Molding
        • Blow Molding
        • Film & Sheet
        • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
        • Rotomolding
        • Thermoforming
        • Recycling
      • Suppliers
        • Machinery
        • Materials
        • Molds/Tooling
        • Product news
        • Design
      • More News
        • Mergers & Acquisitions
        • Sustainability
        • Public Policy
        • Material Insights Videos
        • Numbers that Matter
      • Digital Edition
      • End Markets
        • Automotive
        • Packaging
        • Medical
        • Consumer Products
        • Construction
      • Special Reports
        • CEO Issue
        • Diversity
        • Best Places to Work
          • 2022 winners
        • Processor of the Year
        • Rising Stars
        • Women Breaking the Mold
      • Newsletters
      • Resin pricing news
      • Videos
    • Opinion
      • The Plastics Blog
      • Kickstart
      • One Good Resin
      • BRICS and Plastics
      • All Things Data
      • Viewpoint
      • From Pillar to Post
      • Perspective
      • Mailbag
      • Fake Plastic Trees
    • Shop Floor
      • Blending
      • Compounding
      • Drying
      • Injection Molding
      • Purging
      • Robotics
      • Size Reduction
      • Structural Foam
      • Tooling
      • Training
    • Events
      • K Show Livestream
      • Plastics News Events
        • Plastics News Executive Forum
        • Injection Molding & Design Expo
        • Plastics News Caps & Closures
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
        • Plastics in Automotive
      • Industry Events
      • Injection Molding & Design Expo
      • Livestreams/Webinars
        • Reuters Responsible Business Europe 2022
        • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
      • Editorial Livestreams
        • Polymer Points Live
        • Numbers that Matter Live
        • Plastics in Politics Live
        • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Ask the Expert
      • Plastics News Events Library
        • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
        • Plastics in Healthcare Library
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
      • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Resin Prices
      • All Resins
      • Commodity TPs
        • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
      • High Temp TPs
        • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
      • ETPs
        • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
      • Thermosets
        • Historic Thermosets
      • Recycled Plastics
        • Historic Recycled Plastics
    • Rankings & Data
      • Injection Molders
      • Blow Molders
      • Film Sheet
      • Thermoformers
      • Pipe Profile Tubing
      • Rotomolders
      • Mold/Toolmakers
      • LSR Processors
      • Recyclers
      • Compounders - List
      • Association - List
      • Plastic Lumber - List
      • All
    • Directory
    • Custom
      • Sponsored Content
      • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
      • Conair Sponsored Content
      • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
      • ENGEL Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
      • Classifieds
        • Place an Ad
        • Sign up for Early Classified