Rise of the DT teachers: how an ‘army’ of 3D printers are helping solve the UK coronavirus PPE crisis

<p>The Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, shortage is a massive crisis <a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/news/health/ppe-row-government-nhs-medics-a4419926.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">affecting our entire NHS</a>, and care providers. In this special edition of the Leader: Coronavirus Daily, we’ve spoken to some of a small but growing army of volunteers who are using 3D printers to do what they can to help out.</p><br><p>As the Government drafts in the London Fire Brigade to deliver PPE to NHS workers, and the government wrestles to get a shipment of masks delivered from Turkey, a group of design and technology teachers are going back into their schools to fire up 3D printers and create PPE for medical staff.</p><br><p>They’re co-ordinated by weeks-old groups such as 3DCrowdUK. Using their website individuals can registering requests for equipment, which will then get made by independent printers and shipped to NHS trusts.&nbsp;</p><br><p>Elsewhere, private care providers are facing their own shortages and say they are being forced to compete against the NHS for vital equipment. One provider’s solution: to create their own supply chain using an independent network of volunteer makers.</p><br><p>This is a story of the heroes rising to meet a vital need in dangerous times.</p><br><p>To sign up as a volunteer, or to register a request for PPE, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://3dcrowd.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3Dcrowd.uk</a></p><p>To donate, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/3dcrowd-emergency-3d-printed-face-shields" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.gofundme.com/f/3dcrowd-emergency-3d-printed-face-shields</a></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>