There is an increasing concern about the safety of citizens and workers around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With this, a surprising and innovative solution comes from a 3D printing company in Belgium called Materialise.
The innovators at Materialise realized that viruses and bacteria could deposit on door handles and spread in hospitals, care homes, and companies. They created a brilliant solution to make door handles safer, not only in workplaces but also in houses and building complexes.
Coming in hands-free
Engineers at Materialise designed a set of special hand-free handles consisting of two 3D printed pieces. These pieces are applied to standard handles so that people can open any door using their arm instead of their hands. This brilliant system makes it possible to open and close the doors of houses and offices with minimal contact, thus preventing the spread of the virus.
Round, flat, big or small doorknobs – you can now easily customize our hands-free door handle file to suit your needs and slow the spread of germs. https://t.co/XX6GMVlLmo pic.twitter.com/iiLBM67nlJ
— Materialise (@MaterialiseNV) April 16, 2020
The great news is also that Materialise is currently providing the door handles pattern for free. This means that anyone who owns a 3D printer can download it for free and create a hands-free piece. The design files are available in STEP, STL, and X_T formats.
The hands-free designs are also suitable for different technologies, such as Multi Jet Fusion, Laser Sintering, and Fused Deposition Modeling. It is also possible to customize the size, shape, and width of the door handle on the company’s website. All you need is Trinckle, which is an easy and intuitive online platform.
Materialise offers several models in different shapes: cylindrical, circular, rectangular, and vertical door handles. Each shape also has its own width according to the type of door they will be applied on.
Do less harm, use your arm! Avoid transmitting germs to your hands and face with this hands-free door opener. Let’s work together to stop the spread of COVID-19! https://t.co/QqErjgULk3 #COVID19 #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/hODFxSsTSX
— Materialise (@MaterialiseNV) March 19, 2020
Helping communities through 3D printing
Thanks to the company’s extensive experience in the field of 3D printing and its leading role in the market for over 30 years, innovators were able to make the design reality in less than a day. Materialise’s CEO Wilfried Vancraen stressed the importance of using 3D printing as a means to promote positive change and help the community.
Creating objects with practical applications fulfills Materialise’s mission to promote innovation, helping individuals as much as possible and caring for the environment. These innovative door openers found a very positive response, especially during this pandemic.
Downloading these hands-free designs and replicate them everywhere around the world makes them a fantastic and crucial item. This further promotes the global motive to stay healthy and protect our society from viruses and germs.
YouTube: Hands-Free Door Opener: Technical Information
Photo credit: The feature image is owned by Materialise and has been provided for press usage.
