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When the COVID-19 pandemic ended spring athletic seasons around the world and orders dried up for Michigan-based mouthguard manufacturer Akervall Technologies Inc., the company found a way to help frontline workers while preserving employment.

Cadillac Products Automotive Co., like many manufacturers, stepped up to provide assistance as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the U.S. and globe. But manufacturing PPE was a new experience for the Troy, Mich.-based auto supplier who usually makes vehicle door watershields for automakers.

While the pandemic was starting to gain a foothold in the U.S., a call from the Texas National Guard seeking assistance lead Essentium Inc., a Texas-based manufacturer of 3D printers and engineering-grade material, to develop a 3D-printed mask for to help solve the shortage.

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic it became clear how important community was. And it was that sense of commitment to their community that led Flowfold, an accessories manufacturer that got its start making wallets out of recycled sailcloth, to suspend production of their usual products and shift to making face shields.

It started with a sleep apnea machine and a group of dedicated engineers at UC Berkeley looking to help in the battle against COVID-19. The result? A makeshift device that can safely provide respiratory support to those experiencing breathing difficulties.

As personal protective equipment became scarce for hospitals at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, two doctors had an idea to convert snorkeling masks to be used as emergency filtering face masks. PTC and others helped bring their vision to reality.

As COVID-19 spread across the United States, states found themselves in need of producing and sourcing critically needed supplies. In Ohio, that was aided by the Ohio Manufacturing Alliance to Fight COVID-19 - leveraging Ohio’s tremendous manufacturing capabilities for the production of everything from mechanical ventilators to disposable gowns.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a surging need for medical and personal protective equipment. But it’s not just enough to make the needed equipment and supplies, you also have to get it to where it’s needed most. For rural America, resources are limited, medical facilities are few and far between, and the infrastructure to supply them is lacking.

In response to a pandemic-related plea from a Florida hospital, a newly formed team at Formlabs, a manufacturer of SLA 3D printers and high-end resins, needed only one week to begin printing its very first parts for customers: swabs used to test people for COVID-19.

Mark Kirby, Registered Professional Engineer and Additive Manufacturing Business Manager for Renishaw Canada and Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discuss the pluses and minuses of the still-emerging 3D printing technology that is sweeping the business press. We will take a look at common misconceptions and what, in our opinion, could be things to watch out for if any of our listeners are thinking about adopting 3D printing for their applications.