BEDEV - Bioengeneering Development

Our project aims for the production of protective medical gear through 3D printing. 

This type of production gives us the ability to produce this kind of equipment using recyclable plastic materials like PLA or PET and 
at the same time make them durable and resistant. At the same time they have the capacity do be reused because of their ability to be 
disinfected.

Although the rate and time of production can be low depending on the quantity of 3D printers, the cost of production and selling price 
are low so it can be affordable for most people.

This kind of production and materials also gives us an edge when it comes to the environment, not just for the ability to use recyclable 
materials but also to produce gear that can be used several times and be safe at the same time. We can also easily personalize each 
components.  
   

The problem we are tackling is the actual COVID-19 pandemic which is a global problem affecting millions of people world wide 

(6 931 000 affected people) and that has already killed almost 500,000 people.

This pandemic has put the global population in a position in which each person has to protect themselves and by doing that is at the 
same time  protect others. This protection is achieved by each person, through some hygiene habits and wearing protective gear like 
surgical masks and visors.

This pandemic is causing not only health problems but also a unexpected problem in terms of pollution by the accumulation of surgical
 masks and visors which are thrown away because of their short life expectancy in terms of use. This problem can be resolved by making 
the protective gear in question more efficient time/usage wise, reusable, keeping at the same time its protective abilities. 

Our solution is the improvement of protective medical equipment, using 3D printing through the use of recyclable materials like 

PLA or PETG witch gives the protective gear the hability to be resterilized and reused more times than the average protective gear in 
the market, reducing at the same time the costs of production and market value, giving the chance for some communities to buy this type 
of equipment cheaper and still be protected.

The technology and the production process is simple, we use 3D modeling to design the parts that will be produced later on. 

These parts are design with the help of medical professionals to understand better what is needed  and necessary to achieve optimal 
function. 

Then using 3D printing we produce the parts, assemble those parts and ship them where they are needed.

With this type of production we can ensure a high quality product and the at the same time the hability to easily chance the production 
models if there is any change or improvement to be made without having to change anything in the production process, just the 3D model.

The most important one without a doubt is going to be the people in general and poor communities. 

Every person right now is struggling with the COVID-19 crisis and are trying to protect themselves and other´s but are spending at the 
same time a lot of money doing that. We give them a chance do protect themselves by giving them quality protective gear, allowing them 
at the same time to save money doing that.

Another of our targets is medical communities in general, giving them the best equipment possible in order for them to work safely and at the 
same time give the health institutions like hospitals, free clinics, medical refugee camps, private clinics, nursing homes, and so on, the opportunity to 
spend less money as they help their patients and theirs institution staying safe and protected. 

The project we propose aligns perfectly with the challenge in question. 

We are providing a health solution, the production of protective gear, to fight the current COVID-19 pandemic by producing better and 
cheaper products that can protect communities against the spread of the pandemic and at the same time help the environment and the medical 
community by decreasing the amount of accumulated protective medical gear that is thrown away because of its low usage time span.