SMH Expands 3D Printing During COVID-19 Pandemic

Business

During the first wave of the pandemic, one of the most valued pieces of personal protective equipment for clinicians – controlled air-purifying respirators known as CAPRs – became scarce as hospitals struggled to replace the helmets and other personal protective equipment (PPE) amid a worldwide shortage. That's when the SMH biomedical engineering team stepped in to help. With a small 3D printer that cost just $1,000, the team began producing a routine CAPR replacement part that manufacturers could no longer provide: a vital break-away tab for the helmet's faceshields. Without it, the CAPRs could not be used and medical care providers had to rely on N95 masks and other dwindling supplies to protect themselves from becoming infected while caring for COVID patients.

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