A 3D printing company based in Skokie just raised $8 million as it works to print personal protective equipment amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Azul 3D, launched by James Hedrick, David Walker and Chad Mirkin at Northwestern University, manufactures 3D printers to quickly print highly-customizable structures.
Amid the coronavirus crisis, Azul 3D is printing personal protective equipment like medical face shields. Specifically, the startup prints the headbands that connect to the sterilized plastic. The company says it can print 1,000 face shields per day by running the machine 24/7.
“Our technology is like nothing else in the marketplace and we’re committed to using it for this essential cause," said Walker, Azul 3D's chief technology officer, in a statement. "We have an opportunity to assist our healthcare workers as they face unprecedented challenges, by taking advantage of our great team and the technology we have developed.”
Investors in Azul 3D’s seed round were not disclosed, but the new funds will be used to improve the company’s rapid printing technology and launch its first commercial printers. The financing will also be used to recruit more senior-level employees and build a manufacturing facility.
The company says it is scheduled to ship its first printers to beta users in the first quarter of 2021. A full launch of printers is slated for the end of 2021.
