Innovation Asset Blog

3D printing upstart could create copyright haven

Texas-based gunsmith and law student Cody Wilson was thrust into the spotlight earlier this year after he released video footage detailing his production of military-grade, 3D-printed firearm component parts. Wilson and his collaborators have now elaborated on their business plans, suggesting that they intend to develop a comprehensive, open source library of 3D printable models for all manner of physical goods.

According to PC Magazine, the business model parallels that of the controversial website The Pirate Bay, except that the new platform would promote the creation of physical products as opposed to merely the consumption of digital media files. Nevertheless, Wilson has prepared a variety of contingency plans for the anticipated legal hurdles his venture may face.

"We would try to defeat DMCA [the Digital Millennium Copyright Act]," Wilson suggested in an interview with Ars Technica. "We would fight to the fullest extent of the law. We could iterate [products] over and over again and lose the one with the claim on it but [eventually] have three different variants."

Wilson also noted that he may migrate his operations to countries in Eastern Europe or Asia to take advantage of lax copyright regulations and practices. In any case, the next few months could be a pivotal time for the 3D printing industry at large as Wilson formally seeks funding for his controversial upstart.

Peter Ackerman

Peter Ackerman

Founder & CEO, Innovation Asset Group, Inc.