Additive manufacturing technology, more commonly known as 3D printing, is everywhere in the news! Innovations made possible by 3D printers are changing the world and propelling society into the future. With this technology, it is possible for anyone to make anything. 3D printers are ushering a new industrial age, but the current US patent system is restricting its potential. The Federal government of the United States is questioning the legality of additive manufacturing and considers it destructive to intellectual property holders. Restrictions on 3D printing could put a damper on ingenuity and be detrimental to future innovation. Therefore, lawmakers should deregulate intellectual property laws and allow unrestricted use of 3D printing to support next generation manufacturing systems and stimulate the economy.
3D Printing Revolution The first industrial revolution changed history by reinventing the way things are made, enabling the creation of new products. …show more content…
In the same way, additive manufacturing is “turning design and manufacturing on its head as we know it” according to Avi Reichental, the former CEO of 3D Systems (Reichental). The first 3D printer was invented in 1983 by Chuck Hull, but at the time, no one knew how his invention would impact society (Reichental). Today, new technological innovations are led by 3D printing because of its limitless manufacturing capabilities. 3D printers create objects by depositing material in layers to form 3D shapes, making it perfect for producing complex objects. It is even possible for 3D printers to produce parts with internal mechanisms in multiple different materials without the need for assembly. Many new products are rapidly being developed because of the abilities of 3D printers. 3D printing is changing the way many industries make products. Several companies including GE, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Aurora Flight Sciences, Invisalign, Google, and LUXeXcel, use 3D printers to increase production and develop new products rather than relying on conventional manufacturing methods (D’Aveni). Industrial 3D printing is becoming mainstream in many markets, including the U.S. hearing aid industry, which relies entirely on 3D printing for manufacturing new hearing aids (D’Aveni). Companies are finding production is easier with 3D printing and provides higher profit margins. In the next few years, it is expected that additive manufacturing methods will overtake the manufacturing industry; only industries that adopt 3D printing will survive. This harsh reality is troubling many companies that continue to utilize antiquated technology, thus some companies are lobbying for restrictions on 3D printers. IP War Unlimited innovation is possible with additive manufacturing technology, but opponents to 3D printing argue that it will destroy intellectual property rights. It seems as if 3D printing and intellectual property owners are at war for the right to manufacture the products of the future. Some common concerns surrounding intellectual property and 3D printing include “questions around the ownership of designs and geometry, the possibility of copying parts by scanning and then ‘printing’ them, and concerns about the counterfeiting of components” (Kurfess). With the internet, file sharing is easier than ever before, and this puts property owners and big corporations at serious risk of losing their products. Not only is this a problem in large scale industries, but with 3D printers coming down to prices below $500, more people are able to buy printers for their homes. Individuals can now download common products from the internet and print them for use. In home 3D printers are causing a shift in the consumer market where traditional consumers are becoming producers (Ebrahim). The biggest issue is that people can knowingly and unknowingly commit copyright and patent infringement by producing patented products (Ebrahim). It is impossible to monitor or restrict what a person can print out. For example, it is possible to 3D print toy dolls, but creating exact replicas of Barbie Dolls hurts the Barbie company. The United States Patent and Trademark Office is finding this problem to be impossible to handle. Intellectual property owners are at more risk than ever before due to 3D printing technology. Although creating patented products is illegal, there are ways to get around patents with 3D printers. Copyrights and patents by definition are only able to “protect the actual writing, drawing, or design itself, not the idea that it expresses” (Weinberg). In the case of a 3D design, the structure of the design is
3D Printing Revolution The first industrial revolution changed history by reinventing the way things are made, enabling the creation of new products. …show more content…
In the same way, additive manufacturing is “turning design and manufacturing on its head as we know it” according to Avi Reichental, the former CEO of 3D Systems (Reichental). The first 3D printer was invented in 1983 by Chuck Hull, but at the time, no one knew how his invention would impact society (Reichental). Today, new technological innovations are led by 3D printing because of its limitless manufacturing capabilities. 3D printers create objects by depositing material in layers to form 3D shapes, making it perfect for producing complex objects. It is even possible for 3D printers to produce parts with internal mechanisms in multiple different materials without the need for assembly. Many new products are rapidly being developed because of the abilities of 3D printers. 3D printing is changing the way many industries make products. Several companies including GE, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Aurora Flight Sciences, Invisalign, Google, and LUXeXcel, use 3D printers to increase production and develop new products rather than relying on conventional manufacturing methods (D’Aveni). Industrial 3D printing is becoming mainstream in many markets, including the U.S. hearing aid industry, which relies entirely on 3D printing for manufacturing new hearing aids (D’Aveni). Companies are finding production is easier with 3D printing and provides higher profit margins. In the next few years, it is expected that additive manufacturing methods will overtake the manufacturing industry; only industries that adopt 3D printing will survive. This harsh reality is troubling many companies that continue to utilize antiquated technology, thus some companies are lobbying for restrictions on 3D printers. IP War Unlimited innovation is possible with additive manufacturing technology, but opponents to 3D printing argue that it will destroy intellectual property rights. It seems as if 3D printing and intellectual property owners are at war for the right to manufacture the products of the future. Some common concerns surrounding intellectual property and 3D printing include “questions around the ownership of designs and geometry, the possibility of copying parts by scanning and then ‘printing’ them, and concerns about the counterfeiting of components” (Kurfess). With the internet, file sharing is easier than ever before, and this puts property owners and big corporations at serious risk of losing their products. Not only is this a problem in large scale industries, but with 3D printers coming down to prices below $500, more people are able to buy printers for their homes. Individuals can now download common products from the internet and print them for use. In home 3D printers are causing a shift in the consumer market where traditional consumers are becoming producers (Ebrahim). The biggest issue is that people can knowingly and unknowingly commit copyright and patent infringement by producing patented products (Ebrahim). It is impossible to monitor or restrict what a person can print out. For example, it is possible to 3D print toy dolls, but creating exact replicas of Barbie Dolls hurts the Barbie company. The United States Patent and Trademark Office is finding this problem to be impossible to handle. Intellectual property owners are at more risk than ever before due to 3D printing technology. Although creating patented products is illegal, there are ways to get around patents with 3D printers. Copyrights and patents by definition are only able to “protect the actual writing, drawing, or design itself, not the idea that it expresses” (Weinberg). In the case of a 3D design, the structure of the design is