Car3d Project

The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 is creating sanitary challenges like never seen before. Until there is a vaccine or effective treatment, the use of masks and other types of personal protective equipment (PPE), is the best way to limit the spread of the virus circulation. The challenge is to maintain the supply of masks, which are often not made for reuse, as well as other PPE, such as face shields. If the vaccine still needs 18 months to be developed, the EU will need 270 Billion of masks for the general population. Additive Manufacturing, could help to meet the demand for masks and other equipment, particularly in the case of reusable masks. However, we are faced with stark disparities across Europe in the standards and varieties of PPE and the coordination of regulatory certification for such technology and devices. Consequently, this Project aims to design, develop and validate reusable masks and other PPEs that comply with EU specifications, making that design available for replication around Europe that will meet quality and EU standards. This will allow to create a reference platform, improving Europe’s production capacities for a better response to Covid19.