The Use of Additive Manufacturing During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Additive manufacturing, the process of fabricating an object through the addition of materials, has traditionally been used primarily for prototyping and designing within the broader manufacturing process. However, in recent years, adoption of additive manufacturing has become more widespread in some important manufacturing industries in the form of “bridge production” and parts production. One such example occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, when additive manufacturing helped meet heightened demand for ventilators and personal protective equipment.