don’t touch the handle: slow coronavirus spread by 3D printing a hands-free door opener

materialise offers 3D files free for download so anyone can install a hands-free door handle to mitigate coronavirus.

kat barandy March 23, 2020 2 min

while the door handle is one of the most germ infested common objects, digital fabrication studio materialise designs and 3D prints a hands-free door opener in the wake of the spreading coronavirus. in the project’s development, the team’s risk prevention advisors conducted a careful analyses on how viruses spread, and confirmed that by using covered arms in lieu of bare hands, we can work together to avoid further passing on COVID-19. in the continued mission to build a better and healthier world, materialise shares its digital files so that individuals and companies worldwide may 3D print a hands-free door opener in their houses, hospitals, factories, and elderly homes.

coronavirus door handle
images by materialise

to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, the team at materialise designs its hands-free door handle with easy installation in mind. simple to both use and install, the process does not require the user to drill holes nor replace the door’s handle. the setup calls for the user only to fasten two 3D-printed pieces together with screws over the existing handle. the nature of the digital fabrication process enables the engineers at materialise to quickly generate solutions for atypical scenarios. within twenty-four hours, the team creates, test, and validates its first hands-free door opener because of the flexibility and freedom of design through 3D printing. anyone can play a part in minimizing the spread of coronavirus by contacting a door handle with sleeved arms, and by downloading a free design file to print from home or commission through a local 3D printing firm.

coronavirus door handle
no need to replace your door handle, installation requires no drilling holes