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Last week, a hospital in Italy's Brescia region needed replacement valves for an intensive care device, but couldn't get one from the supplier on short notice.
Enter the CEO of an Italian startup, who along with a mechanical engineer went to the hospital, drew up schematics, and within hours 3D printed 100 valves that worked with the hospital's ICU device. It might've saved 10 lives.
Just in time
The coronavirus has strained hospitals' resources in hard-hit regions, while tripping up supply chains and production schedules. If manufacturers are willing to share their blueprint reference designs, 3D printing could help plug the gap for specific components.
Zoom out: 3D printing, microfactories, and other cutting-edge manufacturing techniques could help industries with offshored production and just-in-time inventory that are essential to national coronavirus responses.