Formlabs has fielded hundreds of requests, evaluated dozens of potential applications for 3D printed products, and is now supporting a handful of projects with high-impact potential. The current priority areas were selected based on clinical demand, technical feasibility, and regulatory implications. Priority areas for focus include test kit swabs, ventilator splitters, and face shields. Once designs have been tested and validated by the medical community, Formlabs has the resources available to scale production to tens of thousands of parts per week. We are ready to engage our internal resources and community of skilled volunteers to produce parts for healthcare providers all over the world.
Face Shields
Problem
Face shields are personal protective equipment (PPE) devices that are used for protection of the facial area and associated mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth) from splashes, sprays, and spatter of body fluids. Face shields are in short supply, with some hospitals reusing disposable units or improvising solutions from commercial products not intended for this use.
Solution
Formlabs is prototyping and evaluating several 3D printed and non-3D printed designs in parallel to determine effectiveness and near-term scalability. Current focus is on producing parts onto which a shield may be mounted and tightened, emulating existing designs such as from Halyard Health and McKesson. The shield itself is not being 3D printed and may be available from traditional manufacturers and medical suppliers.
Validation Status
Prototypes are being sent to various hospitals around the US for evaluation and testing.