Stratasys supplies University Hospital Trust with 60 printers to help with Covid-19 pandemic

The University Hospital Trust, Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) has installed a fleet of 60 industrial-grade Stratasys FDM 3D printers to help with the coronavirus pandemic.

The printers which arrived on Tuesday 31st March within 24 hours of ordering, were supplied via Stratasys’ French reseller partner, CADvision. The printers will be accommodated in a dedicated 150-square-metre facility within the AP-HP’s Cochin Hospital in Paris.

The installation of the F123 Series 3D printers will aim to provide the hospital with its own internal production arm to help ensure fast and on-demand manufacturing of the vital equipment which is currently needed for hospital workers. This equipment includes protective face shields and masks, electrical syringe pumps, intubation equipment and respirator valves.

Dr. Roman Khonsari, a surgeon within the AP-HP leading the project, said 3D printing was the ideal solution to produce vital equipment on-site, bridging the shortfall in traditionally manufactured equipment. The system hired medical-focused 3D printing service provider Bone3D to help the engineers to manage the implementation, operation and support of the fleet.

Stratasys EMEA president, Andreas Langfeld, commented: “The sweeping and severe nature of Covid-19 continues to impact the supply chains of some of the world’s most critical medical equipment.

“Leveraging 3D printing technology on this scale gives AP-HP its own rapid-response supply chain in-house, placing production directly where it’s needed and ensuring essential equipment is quickly in the hands of frontline medical staff who are battling every day to save lives.”

AP-HP has also developed a dedicated 3D printing platform at 3dcovid.org. Here, users can fast-track requests for 3D print projects from hospital workers within Paris and its surrounding areas.

The AP-HPs effort to source equipment to support its medical staff has also been achieved with the help of the University of Paris and the Kering Group.