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Michigan 3D printing network makes tourniquet parts for Ukraine

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A group of small to medium-sized Michigan manufacturers have joined forces to 3D-print tourniquet clips for Ukrainians wounded during Russia’s invasion of their country.

The manufacturers are part of Project DIAMOnD (Distributed, Independent, Agile Manufacturing on Demand), a group organized in 2020 by Automation Alley, a nonprofit Industry 4.0 knowledge center. During the project, the center, located in Troy, Mich., has distributed and connected 300 3D printers in Michigan manufacturing facilities.

Automation Alley responded to a request for help from Makershelp, a Danish 3D printing organization that put out a global call for hundreds of thousands of tourniquets to be printed for the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.Design files and material specifications for the components, printed on FDM (fused deposition modeling) printers, can be found at the Makershelp website. The three-piece devices are assembled in Denmark.

“The specific part that the Ukrainian government needed was a tourniquet clip, which cannot be easily produced using conventional means quickly because of turnaround times in moldmaking,” said Automation Alley COO Pavan Muzumdar.

One member of the Michigan 3D printing network that rushed to assist Ukraine is Ultimation Industries LLC, a Roseville, Mich., designer, builder, and installer of industrial material-handling equipment.

“As a manufacturer, Project DIAMOnD has allowed us to experiment with 3D printing and innovate for our own business while simultaneously giving us the opportunity to aid in humanitarian efforts when called upon,” said Richard Canny, Ultimation’s president. “It’s one great example of how additive manufacturing can respond to a need like this quickly.”

According to Automation Alley, 3D printing facilitates production of needed parts in times of crisis, like wartime and pandemics, because of its flexibility and speed. The designs for parts can also be shared digitally among multiple locations and producers.