With Italy now at the center of active Coronavirus cases, the country is in lockdown to combat the rapid spread of COVID-19. The large number of cases means that, inevitably, a huge strain has been placed on Italy’s healthcare system, and its supply chain.
Reports provide details of a hospital in Brescia with 250 Coronavirus patients in intensive care connected to breathing machines. Soon however, the hospital had run out of respiratory valves which are needed to connect the patients to the breathing machines. The original supplier of the valves was unable to supply the new ones in the time required.
In response, Cristian Fracassi, CEO of Isinnova, a Brescia-based engineering firm, used 3D printing to meet the hospital’s demands and, in the process, save some of the patients’ lives. Working with local machining manufacturer Lonati, they were able to produce 100 respirator valves in 24 hours.