A Chinese funeral home is using 3D printing to manufacture spare parts for dead bodies, state media has reported.
The Longhua funeral home in Shanghai is thought to be the first in China to use 3D printing in this manner.
“Sometimes bodies are brought to the funeral home that have been damaged or are incomplete in some way,” said a report on CRIEnglish.com. “The 3D printing technique enables a more accurate and easier repair process.”
3D printing uses successive layers of materials to create a three-dimensional product. Conceptually, the technology could be used to create limbs, hair or facial features that might be damaged on a corpse, or missing from it.
According to Thursday’s article, use of 3D technology for a face recreation would cost about 4000-5000 yuan, or £430 to £540.
Some funeral homes in the US and Europe have also employed 3D printing technology, but not for the deceased. One company, UPD Urns, has produced a video to attract customers to its 3D-printed cremation urns and busts.
3D printing is booming in China. Foreign companies dominate the market for 3D manufacturing, but Chinese companies are catching up, according to a recent report by International Data Corp, a market analyst.
