Partnership with U3DPS and GoFundMe campaigns allows for 3D printing of PPE
Above: CraftBot is a desktop FDM 3D printer manufacturing company/image Credit: CraftUnique
As businesses start to reopen, CraftBot USA has launched a #3DPrintToProtect initiative with hospitals, print shops and local community initiatives such as the Be Safe Project, launched by 18-year-old Washington D.C. native Gabriel Wittes to help communities better protect themselves.
CraftBot began this initiative to fight COVID-19 by setting up a unique Rapid Local Manufacturing (RLM) farm concept consisting of 12 3D printers printing and manufacturing face shields within a two-week timeframe. The Rapid Local Manufacturing farm produced over 5,000 shields, which were given away to local Hungarian hospitals and businesses to help protect their frontline workers. With the Rapid Local Manufacturing concept proving effective, the initiative was shared with distributors in various countries to empower them through hardware and software support.
Speaking about the support from CraftBot, Gabriel Wittes said, “We are keen to support our frontline workers by giving the masks for free as a show of appreciation. CraftBot donated four printers as part of our Rapid Local Manufacturing set-up along with a stock of filaments. The CraftBot Flow IDEX can produce 2,000 masks per month and has been instrumental in meeting our production goals.”
According to John Kassis, VP Commercial for CraftBot, “People are feeling powerless and they want to help. For this reason we initiated the #3DPrintToProtect movement to empower them against COVID. The CraftBot culture is all about family and innovation, and now more than ever we need to come together as we start to return to a sense of normalcy.”
With the continuing need for PPE, this initiative has quickly grown into a movement with partnerships at various levels looking to support.
Above: PVNet volunteer assembling the 3D printed face shield/Image Credit: CraftBot/Twitter
Here is how CraftBot is influencing a positive change for Americans:
Hospitals: Supporting the Launch of the Be Safe project to print/donate masks to Holy Cross Hospital and other DC-area hospitals.
Setting up a Craftbot managed Rapid Local Manufacturing in San Diego to print/donate 150 face shields per week for Martin Luther King Hospital, Paradise Valley Hospital, Scripps Green Hospital, Sharp Mary Birch Hospital, and more.
Distributors: Supporting Ultimate 3D Printing Store (U3DPS), one of the leading 3D printer shops, with a donation to giveaway masks to local police and fire departments and launching a financing incentive offer through Affirm, a consumer financing company that allows the public to purchase CraftBot printers for low monthly payments.
Communities: Giving PVNet, a STEM learning academy, a free 3D printer to produce 1,000 weekly face shields.
Roy Kirchner, President/Founder of U3DPS commented, “We are a strong supporter of our community, and thanks to CraftBot we will be donating 1,250 masks to Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and Pasco County Fire Rescue.”
As part of this initiative, CraftBot has developed a special toll-free number and email to assist anyone that may need PPE or who are interested in helping print their own. Contact toll-free 647-428-2760 and visit CraftBot Covid-19 page for further details.
John Kassis added, “Our goal is to help make PPE available so that anyone can help with this movement. our approach is local, we have similar initiatives running within Canada, Europe, and the UK to make this a global movement.”
The multi-award-winning CraftBot 3D printers have set the industry standard for quality and performance for both beginners and advanced users.
About Craftbot Ltd. (formerly CraftUnique): Craftbot is a developer and manufacturer of 3D printers and of the new Craftbot Flow Generation with a manufacturing in Budapest and offices in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.
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