如前所述，Ultimaker has filed the first patent application forActive Bed leveling in the Ultimaker 3. The company told 3D Printing Industry that the news was well received by the Ultimaker community and that “people are very understanding。“
在这一观点的主要支持中，对Ultimaker论坛上的评论进行了评论，同时也引起了一些担忧。3D打印行业与3D打印社区的专家发表了对这一发展的看法。
A 3D designers perspective
Flofalistik可能以他的流行极为闻名low-poly versions of iconic gaming and sci-fi characters.
Writing on the Ultimaker forum Flowalistik says, “As a designer whose 3D models have been stolen and sold for years, I understand Ultimaker. Even more considering the amount of effort and money they’ve put into their 3D printers。“他补充说，
另外，自从我得到我的Ultimaker 3的那一天，我就看到了它来了。UM2和UM3之间的区别至少对我来说要大得多。是的，这是一个表面的观点，但是与UM3相比，我的第一个Prusa I3（仍在起作用）之间的设计和产品完善方面有很大的不同。
这就是说，我不喜欢专利，它们是邪恶的，他们将您变成了西斯。我相信Ultimaker，希望他们朝着黑暗的一面采取的任何步骤都是为了避免潜在的问题。请Ultimaker，不要弄乱一切。您有足够的示例，说明仅在3D印刷行业中不做什么。
3D printing history repeating?
之一these examples on the mind of Flowalistik, and others, is likely the 2012 decision by MakerBot to make the复制器2 3D打印机和Makerware 3D打印软件封闭源。在该决定时Zachary Smith, who founded Makerbot in 2009 withAdam Mayer and Bre Pettis,wrote,
I do not support any move that restricts the open nature of the MakerBot hardware, electronics, software, firmware, or other open projects. MakerBot was built on a foundation of open hardware projects such as RepRap and Arduino, as well as using many open software projects for development of our own software. I remain a staunch supporter of the open source movement, and I believe the ideals and goals of OSHW remain true.
I have never wavered from this stance, and I hope that I never do. Future me, beware.
Josefprůša’s perspective
Another leading figure in the Open Hardware scene, and the CEO and founder of Prusa Research Josefprůšaalso writing in 2012, gave his reaction to the decision. As the frequent recipient of accolades and with Prusa 3D printers enjoying solid support from a sizable user base, 3D Printing Industry asked Josefprůšafor his reaction to Ultimaker’s patent applications. He told us,
It does not come as a surprise, Ultimaker always used a CC NC license and this is just another step. Maybe they will end up sharing the patent with others as Tesla does, that would be a great outcome but I highly doubt it with NC license.
From my point of view patents just consume time and make a product development slower and we never felt the need to have one. But if we ever end up applying for one, we would pledge to allow anyone with truly (without the non commercial clause) open source product use it.
A view on IP from an industrial additive manufacturer
The view that patents,“consume time and make a product development slower”is not just one seen in the FFF 3D printing community.
在与emeric d'Arcimoles，工业添加剂制造商梁的首席执行官, at Frankfurt’s 2016 Formnext I heard a similar perspective from the CEO and other key BeAM partners.
光束制造一系列工业3D打印机，可使用激光金属沉积（LMD）技术用雷电竞app下载于金属3D打印零件。Beam Technology已生产1,000多个1级航空航天零件，现在正在使用。凭借令人难以置信的漫长的发展周期，数十亿航空业也许是您期望的最后一个倡导不关注知识产权（IP）带来的自由的倡导者。
During our conversation the BeAM CEO tells me,
You know the lead time to put a process under patent is so long, 5 or 6 years and you can spend a lot of money to have a patent on a technology that is obsolete. I think the best way to invest your money, is not into patents but into processes. You have to put your money into the next thing to maintain innovation and position.
This is a very new approach for a new generation of engineers.
A chilling effect on innovation
3D印刷业also spoke to Aleph Objects, the makers of the Lulzbot range of 3D printers and vocal advocates for Open Source.Ben Malouf,Director of Marketing, told me“ wE尊重Ultimaker及其对开源软件的贡献。”他补充说，
At Aleph Objects, we are committed to respecting user freedom. We believe the desktop 3D printing industry owes its existence to collaboration.
共享Fuels创新，我们认为最成功的公司将继续是与全球3D印刷社区合作的公司。我们没有追求专利，并认为它们对创新产生了令人不寒而栗的影响。
令人毛骨悚然的效果是“the inhibition or discouragement of the legitimate exercise of natural and legal rights by the threat of legal sanction.”This is an area where much work is conducted by lawyers active in the 3D printing industry, as这篇深度文章评论雷竞技在线登录.
Ben Malouf continues to expand on the position of Aleph Objects saying,
Lulzbot Taz和Mini 3D打印机都是雷电竞app下载尊重您的自由（RYF）认证by the Free Software Foundation, and认证的开源硬件by the Open Source Hardware Association. To my knowledge, we are the only 3D printer company that haseithercertification to date.
Licenses that prevent commercial use (known as non-commercial or -NC) are not Open Source Hardware, per the definition:https://www.oshwa.org/definition/
The most widespread 3D printers in the world respect user freedom, including allowing commercial use, such as the Prusa i3 made by Prusa Research. Early RepRap developers recognized the importance of allowing commercial use, following in the footsteps of massively influential projects such as Wikipedia and the Linux kernel.
The Ultimaker patent applicationNL2015361 is not only an interesting step on the journey of the company,but also in the unfolding history of 3D printing. At 3D Printing Industry, we’ll continue to bring not only all the latest news about developments in our industry, but also the context behind the news.
Subscribe to our newsletter和follow our active social media保持最新的渠道。另外，让我们在下面的评论部分中知道您的想法。
特色图片显示了Ultimaker 3.迈克尔·皮奇（Michael Petch）
