Solving Global Crises via Desktop Manufacturing

Abstract

In this commentary, we explain how desktop manufacturing was able to solve supply shortages in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic and discuss this technology’s potential to serve as an alternative to global manufacturing By the end of April 2020, this dangerous virus had already infected over 3 million people and resulted in >200,000 deaths Due to its virulent nature and rapid diffusion, COVID-19 severely strained the capabilities of our health care system and resulted in a shortage of life-saving devices (e g , ventilators) and personal protective equipment (e g , masks) Although ventilators and masks are commonplace in most hospitals, their in-stock supply was inadequate for the surge in demand To make matters worse, existing manufacturing and supply chain systems were unable to ramp up quickly enough to replenish their stock in a timely manner (Culver and Westcott 2020) In the words of Choi, Rogers, and Vakil (2020), COVID-19 was a “wake-up call ”