- The rivals supported by the State have made open source 3D impression almost impossible
- Chinese subsidies change global competition in the production of 3D desk printer
- Cheap Chinese patents create obstacles far beyond the borders of the Europe
The open source movement in 3D printing once prospered in shared designs, community projects and collaboration through borders.
However, Josef Prussa, Chief of Prusa Research, has announced: “Open hardware desktop desktop is dead.”
The comment stands out because his company defended open designs for a long time, sharing files and innovations with the community in general.
Economic support and patent challenges
Prusa built his business early in a small basement in Prague, packing Marcos in pizza boxes while depending on the contributions of others who shared their philosophy.
What has changed, now argues, is not the demand of consumers, but the imbalance created when the Chinese government described 3D impression as a “strategic industry” in 2020.
In its blog publication, Prussa quotes a study by the Rhodium group that describes how China supports its companies with easier subsidies, subsidies and credit.
This makes it much cheaper to make machines there than in Europe or North America.
The problem becomes more complicated when looking patents. In China, registering a claim costs only $ 125, while a challenge of one ranges between $ 12,000 and $ 75,000.
This gap has encouraged an increase in local presentations, often in designs that date back to open source projects.
Prusa’s previous machines, such as the original I3, proudly showed components of members such as E3D and Noctua, who incorporate a spirit of community, but were also easy to copy, with complete online guides only a few months after launch.
The newest PRUSA prinals, including the MK4 and Core One, now restrict access to key electronic designs, even while offering STL files for printed parts.
The Nextruder system is completely owner, marking a clear withdrawal of the total opening.
Prusa argues that Chinese companies are effectively blocking the technology that the community intended to share, since, although a patent in China does not prevent its company from selling in Europe, it avoids access to the Chinese market.
A higher risk arises when agencies such as the US Patent Office. They treat such patents as “previous art”, creating obstacles that are expensive and that require a lot of time to clean.
Prusa cited the case of the Chinese company, Anycubic, ensuring an American patent in a multicolored center that seems similar to the MMU system that his company first launched in 2016.
Years before, Bambu Lab introduced its A1 series, also inspired by the same concept.
Anycubic now sells the Kobra 3 combo with this function, asking questions about how the agencies give patents and who has legitimate claims.
Meanwhile, Bambu Lab faces separate legal battles with Stratasys, the American pioneer whose patents once maintained the 3D impression confined to the expensive industrial use.
Declating the end of open hardware can be dramatic, but pressures are real.
Among the state subsidies, the permissive patent rules and the increase in disputes, the basis of open collaboration is eroding.
Via Hardware Toms
