As 3D printing of protective gear ramps up, a free mask designed in the US is the first of its kind to get federal approval

Rory Larson is the inventor/designer of the Maker Mask – a free, 3D printable respirator mask that covers the mouth, as opposed to hooded versions – that became the first of its kind to receive National Institutes of Health certification for Covid-19 response. — Maker Mask/TNS

SEATTLE: Onetime Microsoft executive Jonathan Roberts knows that not all 3D-printed personal protective equipment being produced for the nation's coronavirus response is created equal.

The past few weeks have thrust 3D printing technology into the spotlight as entrepreneurs and well-doers scramble to convert factories, shops and even home basements into makeshift assembly lines to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) for embattled health care workers. Once best known for a Texas company's nationwide distributing of blueprints for homemade handguns, 3D printing is now viewed as a potential lifesaver in the race to get masks, visors, shields and other PPE to those needing them most.