There is a lot of talk right now on social media, in forums, and in headlines about how 3D printing is being used to fight Covid-19. We now have an opportunity to hear from Josef Prusa himself, on how he’s utilizing the worlds largest 3d printing farm to help. Just as importantly, he shares what he has learned about where 3D printing doesn’t help.

There are some key takeaways from what Prusa has shared that you should pay attention to.

3D Printing may not be a great fit:

…Another question we need to take into account is the porosity of the printed parts and the safety concerns that come from that. The wearer will have the mask on their face, a humid and warm place, a perfect breeding ground for germs. We won’t be able to sterilize these masks effectively so we might be causing even more problems …

Hospitals are rapidly running out of personal protective equipment. Face sheilds specifically are something that are in high demand and fit well in the production line at Prusa Printers.

..In three days, we were able to go through dozens of prototypes, two verifications with the Czech Ministry of Health and we even met our minister of health Adam Vojtech. Today we are excited to share with you that we have started prototype production and the first units just went to the hospital for field testing and verification. I want to thank Martin Havrda from the University Hospital Vinohrady in Prague for taking the time to meet us. And also, when we have this design verified, we will move to design protective goggles. …

While many sterile applications may not be a great fit for 3D printing, household items of other kinds may be a great application. To this end, Prusa has launched a contest (a delightful distraction if nothing else) for household items.