Need Parts? In the Wake of Coronavirus, U.S. 3D Printing Companies Are Ready to Fill Supply Chain Gaps

3/24 UPDATE: This project has gained more attention and traction than I ever thought possible--thank you to all of the 3D printing pros who have added to the list! In an effort to maintain the quality of the data and protect personal information of contributors as this grows, we will now be collecting information via this Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd2GcnQL9NDt-gEut-GmvTT1xUXtHbCfu3Gbwa2l5XycJCRyg/viewform?usp=sf_link. As before, I'll continue to refresh the map several times a day with new info.

The reality of the novel coronavirus hit home for me last week. I'm typing this post from a spare room in my house, on the fourth official work-from-home day for Additive Manufacturing's publisher, Gardner Business Media. We're headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, a state with a growing number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. Many of our schools and universities have extended spring breaks or switched to remote learning. Our grocery stores are limiting hours and restricting purchases of certain items. As of last Friday, our restaurants and bars are closed; only takeout service is allowed. Suddenly the news we've been reading about is here, on our doorsteps.

But the virus came to North America first by impacting the supply chain. Just a few weeks ago, I sat down with Michael Guckes, chief economist for Gardner Intelligence, to talk about China's purchasing managers index for February and what its downward trend might mean for U.S. manufacturing. At the time we didn't know when or how COVID-19 would affect the health and normalcy of our communities. Instead, we focused on economic indicators as well as some ways that additive manufacturing and 3D printing could help American businesses cope. You can find the video and blog post here.

To prepare for that conversation, I talked with several companies in the U.S. that offer 3D printing services and asked whether they'd seen changes in their business as a result of coronavirus. One told me something I didn't expect: Instead of being hurt by the situation, this company had actually seen increased orders. New customers were reaching out, asking if injection molded plastic parts they previously would have received from Asia could instead be 3D printed.

Since that video posted, I've learned that their experience isn't isolated. I've heard from more additive manufacturers who have found themselves with new customers and orders, making parts or tooling that would not have been 3D printed previously, as a result of shipping challenges and supply chain disruptions. We've started compiling these stories in this blog post, which I and my colleagues are updating as new responses come in.

But we're not stopping there. 3D printing is one of the production methods best-suited to a situation like this: A 3D printer needs only the file and the right material to make a part. And many additive manufacturers in the United States right now have the capacity and willingness to help. For the past several years we have been building a directory of 3D printing suppliers, including companies that provide part and tooling production services. As of today, I've visualized our services listings into a Google Map to make it even easier to find a supplier nearby.

It should be noted that this map is intended to show 3D printing companies who are (more or less) open for business as usual. If you are a hospital, healthcare provider or medical professional facing a supply shortage, you may be interested in the 3D Printer Crowdsourcing for COVID-19 Google Sheet, where more than 2,000 individuals so far have offered their assistance in designing/printing necessary medical equipment and spare parts.

It's too soon to say what the ultimate impact of COVID-19 will be, but here are my short-sighted hopes: Together we will flatten the curve. 3D printing will help keep supply chains rolling, businesses open and hospitals equipped. And who knows... maybe we'll see more additive adoption in the future because of the strange and challenging times we find ourselves in right now.