SLM Solutions has launched an ‘Additive Alliance Against Corona’ initiative to integrate the forces of the Additive Manufacturing industry to fight together against the effects of the Coronavirus. One of the biggest advantages of 3D printing is the rapid response time in being able to produce a product. COVID-19 has been spreading rapidly and fast solutions to save valuable time are required.
Sebastian Kässner, Chief Marketing Officer of SLM Solutions Group AG, explains, “As a pioneer in metal-based additive manufacturing we want to offer our many years of expertise, our existing resources and our network to actively contribute to overcoming the COVID-19 crisis.”
The objective of the alliance is to combine the forces of companies in the AM industry and to take advantage of 3D printing’s rapid response time. Since 3D printing is already used in the production of medical components and the tooling to produce medical components, we can quickly leverage machines and processes already certified to the current European “Medical Device Regulation” (MDR) and ISO 13485 guidelines. SLM® machines in the USA are already printing metal injection molding tools for face shield production showing that additive manufacturing can contribute to combatting the crisis quickly.
Kässner added, “Sharing ideas, skills and networks is of great importance at this time of year to fight together against the spread of the virus, to reduce the shortage of important materials and to close possible gaps in the supply chains. Our global team of experts is available for this.”
The initiative will also be supporting students through a Student Design Challenge Against Corona and it calls upon all students to submit their product or industrial design ideas that could help fight the COVID-19 virus. The best or most helpful design will be built on an SLM® metal additive machine, and the winner will receive an award.
SLM Solutions invites all companies and organizations that can provide support in the form of production, development or logistics capacities, for example, or that already have concrete ideas and need a partner to implement them to join the Additive Alliance Against Corona.
SLM Solutions also announced that organisations like 3D-Laserdruck GbR, BURGMAIER, JP 3D-TecVision GmbH & Co. KG, M&H CNC-Technik GmbH, and many more have committed to support the Additive Alliance Against Corona program.
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