Are you concerned that your intellectual property is being copied? The rise of 3D printing certainly increases the chances of that taking place. Many companies wouldn’t even know if they are losing revenue due to the small scale reprinting of products. But once that copying goes mainstream, it can make an enormous impact on your bottom line. Since the technology is still so new, the legality of 3D printing is still being ironed out. The digital revolution in manufacturing certainly raises some interesting questions though. Today we talk about a few key issues.
Issues of Intellectual Property
3D printing is inarguably a disruptive technology. It has even been referred to as the Third Industrial Revolution because there are so many potential uses for the technology. Some current examples are already hitting the market from companies like GE Aviation and New Balance. The technology is expected to grow at an astronomical pace, but at a prospective cost. The Gartner Group forecasts a global loss of at least $100 billion per year in intellectual property due to 3D printing in the next two years alone.
Intellectual property involves the protection of ideas and designs, so naturally 3D printing will make it that much easier for companies or individuals to replicate products without giving much thought to who owns the IP. Patent, trademark and copyright infringement issues are obviously at stake. When it comes to 3D printing, it will about the blueprints used to create products. Those blueprints would be easily copied digitally or even provided to customers.
It’s clear at this stage in the history of 3D printing that the enforcement capabilities of intellectual property laws are limited. Similarly to how music and media pirating has been addressed, rights holders will need to decide whether or not to pursue consumers and corporations who infringe. The price of protecting their intellectual property may not be worth the effort.
Liability Concerns
While intellectual property theft is very top-of-mind when it comes to legal issues involved with 3D printing, liability concerns are also very important to consider. Defects in printed products or injuries caused by those products will inevitably result in liability lawsuits. It’s not just the manufacturers who need to be concerned. Suppliers of the software, chemicals, materials and blueprints all have a prospective hand in legal responsibility for the products they sell. Questions of who, where, when and how to sue are still up in the air. But as litigation takes place, precedence will be set. Thinking through how your company might be impacted now will help prepare you for issues in the future.
Furthermore, 3D printing litigation is that much more likely to take place on the global stage. Chances are it is not just American companies that will have a hand in the production of 3D printing materials or products. India, China and many other countries are already embracing the potential 3D printing offers. How will your company engage with partners and consumers on the global stage?
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