Three-dimensional printing in the fight against novel virus COVID-19: Technology helping society during an infectious disease pandemic

Indeed, the scientific milestones set by the ever-emerging three-dimensional printing (3DP) technologies are tremendous. Till now, the innovative 3DP technologies have benefitted the aerospace, automobile, textile, pharmaceutical, and biomedical sectors by developing pre-requisite designed and customized performance standards of the end-user products. As the scientific world, at this moment, is expediting efforts to fight against the highly damaging novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the 3DP technologies are facilitating creative solutions in terms of personal protective equipment (PPE), medical equipment (such as ventilators and other respiratory devices), and other health and welfare tools to aid the personal hygiene as well as safe environment for humans by restricting the communication of risks. Various sources (including journal articles, news articles, white papers of the government and other non-profit organizations, commercial enterprises, as well as academic institutions have been reviewed for the collection of the information relevant to COVID-19 and 3DP. This communication presents the recent applications of the 3DP technologies aiding in developing innovative products designed to save the lives of millions of people around the world. Moreover, the potential of 3DP technologies in developing test swabs and controlled medicines has been highlighted. The literature reviewed in the present study indicated that the fused filament fabrication (FFF) is one of the most preferred technologies and contribute about 62% in the overall production of the protective gears developed through overall class of 3DP.