COVID-19 Pandemic has brought some unfathomable challenges to all of humanity. Especially the healthcare system around the world is in shambles. Governments have confirmed the inexplicable shortage of PPEs (personal protective Equipment), Testing kits, and Ventilators hence asked manufacturers with an unprecedented call to action.
Think3D, India’s first dedicated medical device manufacturing zone, by virtue of its presence in the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone, is deemed essential services and has been mandated to manufacture various kinds of medical devices for prevention and diagnosis of coronavirus.
Think3D’s Response
Through its large facility in Vizag, it rapidly responded to the call to help in the fight against COVID-19. It undertook many projects to roll out multiple essential products.
Think3D collaborated with various stakeholders like government organizations, customers, and business partners. The company empowered those by sharing their cutting edge technological resources to bring out innovative and rapid solutions. Their technologies include 3D printing, Laser Cutting, Injection Moulding, CNC milling, CNC turning, Vacuum casting, and 3D Scanning.
Below is the brief description of various projects undertaken at think3D‘s Manufacturing Facility in Vizag:
Face Shield
3D Printed Face Shield/Image Credit: think3D
A face shield is a PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) which is designed to offer protection from viral fluids/droplets. Specifically, it helps doctors and healthcare professionals and other frontline workers who come in direct contact with COVID-19 affected patients daily. think3D manufactured the above-shown face shields using its Laser cutting machines with its long-term partner Biosense Technologies Pvt Ltd.
COVID-19 Test Cartridge
3D Printed Test Cartridge/Image Credit: think3D
There is a great necessity for rapid testing of infection to contain the spread. Implementing this COVID-19 test cartridge has huge time and cost savings when compared to laboratory screening which takes days to give results and is costly. It will help control the spread by accurately identifying the infected rapidly. think3D is manufacturing thousands of test cartridges through the Injection molding process in collaboration with its business partner Molbio Diagnostics Pvt Ltd.
Ventilator Splitter
3D Printed Ventilator Splitter/Image Credit: think3D |
Since the COVID-19 outbreak directly affects the respiratory tracts of humans, think3D took the challenge in manufacturing the medical devices through 3D printing to help the affected patients. A Ventilator Splitter is an easy solution to differential ventilate people in different sizes and with different compliance to overcome the crisis of ventilation needed in the hospitals. The company has 3D printed two-way and three-way ventilator splitters and distributed to hospitals. It is manufacturing these splitters with Multi Jet Fusion technology.
3D Printed Face Mask
3D Printed face mask/Image Credit: think3D
Unlike regular face masks that filter the fluids and act as air filtration, 3D printed face masks will also act as a physical barrier to the environment. Due to the scarcity of regular masks in the market, INDIAN NAVY, Eastern Naval Command in Vizag reached out to think3D to manufacture 3D printed face masks. The company 3D Printed 200 face masks as requested and delivered them to the Indian Navy officials. The 3D printer is of Selective laser sintering technology consisting of strong and flexible Nylon plastic Biocompatible material.
Exhalation Valve for Face Mask
3D Printed Exhalation Valve/Image Credit: think3D
The exhalation valve is designed to release hot, humid exhaled breath quickly, helping prevent an unpleasant build-up of heat inside the facepiece and increase comfort for respirator wearers. Think3D printed those valves in Selective laser sintering technology.
Other COVID-19 Support
Besides producing its own set of essential products, think3D was also actively manufacturing other products that were essential to the COVID-19 fight. This manufacturing support avoided the supply chain disruptions faced by many medical companies as their supply chain partners were not fully operational.
AshaFIT IR Thermometers
think3D 3D printed 4000 sets of the IT Thermometers/Image Credit: think3D
The sudden COVID-19 crisis led to a huge demand in the requirement for IR Thermometers. Green Ocean Research Labs (GORL), one of the prominent suppliers of medical devices in India, faced severe fulfilment issues due to the supply chain disruption. Due to the lockdown, its Chinese supplier could not supply various critical components. GORL scoured for manufacturers in India with 3D printing capabilities as the traditional methods would have taken months to develop the same products and ultimately reached out to think3D.
Think3D evaluated the designs & components to rapidly start 3D printing of components like the display holder, sensor locker, and the sensor bush which are the key components of the device. 4000 such sets were delivered to the customer thus ensuring a constant flow of IR thermometers to the end-user.
COVID-19 Testing Devices
COVID-19 testing devices made through CNC/Image Credit: think3D
Think3d is also making devices to insert the cartridge mentioned above and get the test result. These designs are made by a diagnostic company located in the medical device manufacturing zone and the company is manufacturing the components with CNC Turning and Milling technology. These are high precision parts with a tolerance of 3 – 5 microns.
Think3D, India's largest integrated 3D Printing service provider offering high-quality SLS, DMLS, PJP, CJP, FDM 3D Printing services. It majorly focuses on medical device manufacturing. It has rapidly responded to the needs of these stressful times and helped the cause to fight the pandemic. The credit not only goes to think3D but also to 3D printing technology which can rapidly manufacture high-quality products in a matter of days or weeks.
About think3D: Founded in 2014, think3D has rapidly grown into one of India’s largest 3D printing service provider. It now offers services in nearly all major 3D printing technologies and has a focus on medical device manufacturing.
