Leverage the grid to provide management for the world’s 3D printers to print emergency medical supplies against COVID-19.

Message boards : Projects : Leverage the grid to provide management for the world’s 3D printers to print emergency medical supplies against COVID-19.
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Julian Dolby

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Message 96999 - Posted: 23 Mar 2020, 13:25:48 UTC

COVID-19 (and emergencies like it) have highlighted a need for rapid production of much needed supplies such as respirators, N95 masks, and other medical equipment. Many parts for these supplies can now be 3D printed (https://www.3dnatives.com/en/mask-against-covid-19-180320205/), an open
source solution to 3D print parts of N95 masks, low cost 3D printed screening masks for the virus (http://emag.medicalexpo.com/covid-19-3d-printed-face-masks-for-mass-screening/), and respirator valves to be used in respirators (https://www.fastcompany.com/90477940/these-good-samaritanswith-a-3d-printer-are-saving-lives-by-making-new-respirator-valves-for-free).

One encouraging sign is that such production is already happening, but perhaps not at the needed scale. For example, see https://nypost.com/2020/03/20/new-york-couple-3d-printing-over-300-face-masks-for-coronavirus-testing-center/. But such efforts must scale over huge numbers of 3D printers if they are to make a dent in combating the pandemic.

Given that BOINC already exists and 3D printers are worldwide, it seems that a relatively simple grid client could connect printer host machines to the grid and be given instructions of what to produce and when. Given the global distribution of both the pandemic and printers, such a grid might be well placed to produce medical equipment when and where needed.

It would be great to leverage the millions of 3D printers around the world to allow medical personnel to coordinate the production of these in a distributed manner. It seems like BOINC would be well positioned to add that management layer.
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Les Bayliss
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Message 97010 - Posted: 23 Mar 2020, 19:37:13 UTC - in response to Message 96999.  

All you need now, is someone to create a project, someone to write the programs for controlling the printers, and someone to supply and pay for the raw material that's used for each item.
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Julian Dolby

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Message 97011 - Posted: 23 Mar 2020, 22:48:45 UTC - in response to Message 97010.  

I do not know what is involved with creating a project, but I will try given pointers by someone knowledgeable. And I will try to write the control programs too, if I can consult with an expert on the BOINC API. If we can get those running, getting and paying for supplies would likely be taken care of by the many states, including my home state of New York, that are desperate for supplies of many kinds.
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Julian Dolby

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Message 97012 - Posted: 23 Mar 2020, 22:56:00 UTC - in response to Message 97011.  

Is https://boinc.berkeley.edu/trac/wiki/MakeProject the right instructions to follow?
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Les Bayliss
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Message 97064 - Posted: 26 Mar 2020, 5:19:52 UTC

It appears that this is already happening without BOINC.
This web search, for instance: 3D printing companies making ventilators
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ProDigit

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Message 97094 - Posted: 26 Mar 2020, 21:06:46 UTC
Last modified: 26 Mar 2020, 21:07:16 UTC

All you could print, is a 3D contraption, that could host a filter-like material, since the filter itself can't be printed.
so if you have some sort of design, that in one side has like glasses, going behind the ear, and on the other side, can trap paper towel, or filter-material in the shape of a mask, that would be awesome.
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Message boards : Projects : Leverage the grid to provide management for the world’s 3D printers to print emergency medical supplies against COVID-19.

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