Fighting the virus with 3D printing
Materialise has been working on several fronts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic utilising its game changing 3D printing processes to help healthcare systems cope and individuals to stay safe. One of the main strengths of 3D printing technology is its agility and speed, extremely important factors in rising to current challenges.
In one innovation, the company has designed a 3D printable door opener that makes it possible to open and close doors with your arm, removing the need for direct contact with door handles, which represent a high risk of contamination. For safety reasons, not all doors can remain open and by removing the need to touch door handles, the 3D printed door opener can help to reduce the spread of the virus. Materialise is offering the printable design for free and calling upon the global 3D printing community to make it available around the world.
In another, Materialise has developed a device to convert standard equipment available in most hospitals into a non-invasive PEEP mask (NIP) that can be connected to an oxygen supply. The Materialise NIP Connector gives patients an extended period of time before mechanical ventilators are required for treatment and helps transition them off ventilators earlier. This in turn allows clinicians to reduce the time patients need access to mechanical ventilators, freeing up these devices for patients in critical need. The company has decades of experience in certified medical 3D printing and is now fast-tracking the necessary regulatory registrations to make this device more widely available.
Materialise incorporates three decades of 3D printing experience into a range of software solutions and printing services, which together form the backbone of the 3D printing industry. Materialise’s open and flexible solutions have enabled a wide variety of industries - including healthcare, automotive, aerospace, art and design, and consumer goods - to build innovations to make the world a better and healthier place.
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