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Humanitarian makers: 3D printing for disaster relief

FEATURE

n the immediate aftermath of an emergency,

providing aid to those in need as quickly as

possible is the number one priority, with the

preservation of life as the greatest concern.

However, after the emergency zone begins to

stabilise, the focus gradually shifts from

preserving life to rebuilding the community affected

by catastrophe.

COMBINING

MODERN

MANUFACTURING

WITH TRADITIONAL CRAFT

Field Ready is combining 3D printing with traditional lost-wax casting to enable local manufacturers

to provide key engineering and medical components to areas affected by natural disaster

This rebuilding process brings its own unique

challenges, and careful planning must be given to

best support reconstruction efforts without

accidentally damaging existing local industries.

For example, transporting engineering

components from Kathmandu to remote villages

affected by the recent earthquake in Nepal has its

own dangers. Local manufacturers can find

themselves pushed out of the market and unable to

sustain their business, resulting in increased

unemployment and other negative economic

consequences. Equally, imagine the difficulties that

ensue when cooking stoves are imported and

distributed for free when existing distributors and

manufacturers are trying to sustain their business

within Nepal.

There is a responsibility by international aid

agencies to ensure that, as recovery gains

momentum, local economies are adequately

supported, and the community’s own efforts to

rebuild are not undermined. Field Ready believes a

key way to do this is through partnerships with

existing local manufacturers and artisans.

Nepal has a rich history of lost-wax casting. For

hundreds of years, the craft has been passed down

generation to generation, with these craftsmen

I

Below

Improving airflow

in the stove leads

to lower fuel

requirements

Credit

Field Ready