Makers Printed Thousands of Medical Splints for Venezuela — Now Bambu Lab Is Scaling the Effort
Within days of Venezuela's devastating June 24 earthquakes, makers across 11 countries had printed over 2,600 medical splints. Now Bambu Lab is adding a 48-hour charity fundraiser starting July 13.
When twin earthquakes struck northern Venezuela on June 24 — a magnitude 7.2 followed by a 7.5, the strongest the country has seen since 1900 — the 3D printing community didn't wait for official channels.
The numbers are staggering: more than 3,500 people killed, over 16,000 injured, 50,000 still missing, and 17,000 left homeless. But within days, a distributed network of makers was already responding.
It Started with One Open-Source File
Ostec3D, a Venezuelan initiative focused on 3D-printed orthoses, released a complete set of printable thermoplastic splint files for free. That single decision set off a chain reaction across the global maker community.
By June 30 — less than a week after the earthquake — 97 workshops and teams in 11 countries had joined the production effort. Together, they printed 2,625 splints, with 828 already delivered to people who needed them.
One standout story: Brady Ashcroft, a 16-year-old maker, ran eight printers non-stop and turned out over 100 splints on his own.
On the ground in Venezuela, LayerLab (Bambu Lab's local distributor) coordinated day-to-day logistics and donated 160 kg of filament to keep production moving. Makers printed not just splints but cervical collars and oxygen cone connectors — small, critical parts that hospitals couldn't source fast enough.
Bambu Lab Steps In
Bambu Lab's LATAM team has committed USD $50,000 in direct financial aid and is supplying LayerLab with ongoing filament and printer support.
But the company is also opening the effort to its broader community with a 48-hour charity fundraiser starting Monday, July 13 at 8:00 AM (UTC−4).
Here's how it works:
- Purchase PLA Basic Refill in Venezuelan flag colors (Yellow, Blue, or Red) from the Bambu Lab US or EU store
- Enter promo code 4Venezuela at checkout
- Bambu Lab donates the full $20 retail price per roll to the UN Crisis Relief Fund — even if you pay less with a discount
The company explicitly covers any difference between what you pay and the MSRP-based donation. After the campaign closes on July 15, the total raised and donation confirmation will be published publicly.
Why This Matters for the 3D Printing Community
This event highlights something unique about 3D printing: when supply chains fail, distributed manufacturing can fill the gap faster than traditional logistics. A validated design, shared openly online, can reach a hundred print farms across the world in hours.
As Bambu Lab put it in their blog post: "A few machines, a good file, and someone willing to put in the hours — that's the whole barrier to entry now."
If you want to help beyond buying filament, Ostec3D's splint files are freely available on MakerWorld and Printables. Just note: these splints must be thermoformed by trained healthcare professionals before use.
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