Shortages of medical devices and protective equipment driven by the coronavirus pandemic have led medical workers and manufacturers to turn to 3D printing to fill the void. However, the new technology still faces technical and legal hurdles before it can be fully deployed to address the shortfall.

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Supplies of medical equipment and devices have been depleted in recent weeks by COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Hospitals have faced shortages of potentially life-saving ventilators as well as personal protective equipment, such as masks, to keep their doctors safe. The rollout of coronavirus testing, crucial to identifying those with the virus and containing its spread, has also been slow, with the government scrambling to acquire more kits. But the 3D printing industry and those with the technology are eager to help fill that void. The technology has been used to produce face masks, test kit swabs and […]

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