Covid-19: America’s garage hobbyists fight the pandemic with 3D printers

New 3D-printed face shields to be used by medical professionals in the fight against coronavirus, disease (Covid-19), sit on a table in Sunnyvale, California, US. 3D printing enthusiasts have volunteered to build face-shields for front line providers fighting the coronavirus. — Reuters

Before Covid-19, most Americans likely hadn’t heard of 3D printing. If they had, it probably conjured visions of tinkerers and techies in their garages obsessing over Dungeons & Dragons figurines. Or worse, they remember it had something to do with plastic guns.

And it is true that designs of Baby Yoda were very popular earlier this year, right up there with storage boxes, cosplay props, pencil holders – and yes – action figures for role playing games.