The rise of 3D Printing entangled with smart computer aided design during COVID-19 era

Abstract

Highlights In this article, we present an extensive review on the utilization of 3D printing technology in the days of pandamic. We observe that 3D printing together with smart CAD design show promise to overcome the disruption caused by the lockdown of classical manufacturing units specially for medical and testing equipment, and protective gears. We observe that there are several short communications, commentaries, correspondences, editorials and mini reviews compiled and published; however, a systematic state-of-the-art review is required to identify the significance of 3D printing, design for additive manufacturing (AM), and digital supply chain for handling emergency situations and in the post-COVID era. We present a review of various benefits of 3DP particularly in emergency situations such as a pandemic. Furthermore, some relevant iterative design and 3DP case studies are discussed systematically. Finally, this article highlights the areas that can help to control the emergency situation such as a pandemic, and critically discusses the research gaps that need further research in order to exploit the full potential of 3DP in pandemic and post-pandemic future era.

A literature survey of the robotic technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Robots are widely suggested to be deployed in different scenarios during the pandemic, to help reduce the infection by performing disinfection, monitoring, delivering, food preparation, and telepresence [ [8] , [9] , [10] , [11] , [12] , [13] , [14] , [15] , [16] ]. Robots are also recommended to make intelligent decisions based on the inputs data from the population, which can be analysed through AI [ 17 ].…”

A digital twin-driven human-robot collaborative assembly approach in the wake of COVID-19

“…So the HRC assembly in a shared environment is an appropriate way to realize safe and efficient assembly under the epidemic [ 3 ]. Meanwhile, the 3D printing integration [ 4 ] in HRC assembly system can make the components completely mapped from their digital models, which promotes the formation of industrial automation and intelligent factory.…”

Additively manufactured respirators: quantifying particle transmission and identifying system-level challenges for improving filtration efficiency

“…Additive manufacturing (AM), also commonly known as 3D printing, could provide an avenue for scaled-up production of respirators for healthcare workers. The AM industry is capable of providing a wide variety of customized part designs to address the spread of COVID-19, helping to alleviate the strain on established supply chains struggling to keep up with the demand for PPE [ 4 , 5 ]. It is therefore of interest to determine the filtration capabilities of available designs of respirators (commonly referred to as “3D printed face masks”) to determine if the respirators could meet the N95 threshold criteria and see how they compare to cloth masks.…”

“…Companies with AM systems, regardless of their industry, could shift to fabricating PPE without the need to modify factory layouts or manufacturing equipment. A multitude of industrial systems could be utilized worldwide [ 5 ], and hobbyists with desktop-scale 3D printers could also get involved, as digital designs can be rapidly disseminated for local production of PPE.…”