COVID-19 has allowed the 3D printing industry to prove itself under fire. During the global crisis, demand for personal protective equipment has created shortages at hospitals and other healthcare facilities. An important aspect of the 3D-printed visor is that it must be CE-marked and clear other requirements that are set by health care regulators. One of the most important requirements is that the equipment can be sterilized. Wematter has been in touch with suppliers and hospitals to help work through the roadblocks to regulators’ certification of personal protective equipment for use in the healthcare setting.
The company’s printers are well-suited to assist with the production of personal protective equipment. Wematter’s Gravity SLS-3D printers can print very complex shapes, which means that an entire piece of personal protective equipment is printed as one piece. The test design for a 3D-printed protection visor demonstrates the company’s potential contribution to medical supplies. A single-piece visor can be effectively sterilized by removing a disposable visor and cleaning the frame.
Wematter’s material, Aurora, can, moreover, withstand the means of sterilization: high pressure, relatively high temperature, and alcohols.
Therefore, Wematter’s products can be autoclaved in temperatures up to 150 degrees. This indicates that 3D-printed protective equipment printed in Wematter’s machines can be used. In addition, you can print many articles at once in a single high-speed laser run.
Update 2020-03-26
Following feedback from the care and inspiration from others who are struggling to get a protection visor, we have now redesigned the model slightly. Nowadays, the model has a splash guard over the eyes and a snap function to put in a plastic cover/visor.
Update 2020-03-27
“Save lives that Matter” has caused mixed reactions and therefore is removed.
This is done to support healthcare and also https://wefightcovid.org/
About Wematter
Wematter manufactures advanced office-sized selective laser sintering 3D printers. The company exists to accelerate the move towards additive manufacturing by lowering barriers to entry. Its innovative 3D-printing SLS technology lets companies quickly prototype ideas, which increases overall design and engineering efficiency.
Wematter’s Nordic roots suffuse the company’s creative cycle. The team focuses on balancing user experience, ease of use, sustainability, and performance in all of its activities. The resulting quality and reliability are testaments to not just a client focus but to corporate responsibility in the face of a changing environment and industrial landscape.
Wematter attracts top customers like Siemens, Volvo, and Husqvarna. The company was founded by design engineers working with FDM SLA and FDM 3D printers, injection molding, and CNC-milling. Since its inception in 2014, Wematter has delivered 3D printers and 3D-printed components to car manufacturers, hospitals, and aerospace clients.
For more information about Wematter visit www.wematter3d.com or follow on YouTube.
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