3D printing was adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic to address shortages of protective and respiratory equipment. The FDA authorized 3D-printed face shields, face masks, and ventilator tubes for pandemic use, commonly produced from materials such as PLA (polylactic acid), ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), and flexible filaments. This extended 3D printing's established roles in fields like automotive and biomedical engineering into emergency medical-supply production.