As the US government gets familiar with 3D printing, there will naturally be those that are still wrapping their heads around the technology. For that reason, at next week’s CES on the Hill event, the Consumer Electronic Association has given 3D printing a special spot for the important implications it has for IP law. To shed light on these implications, 3D printables community Pinshape will be speaking with Members of Congress and related staff at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington D.C on April 15.
Pinshape CEO and Co-Founder Lucas Matheson plans to explore how Pinshape deals with issues of IP protection through its flexible licensing model and 3D file streaming capabilities. He relays, “As an online 3D printing marketplace, we’ve found ourselves in a position where we can educate and work with companies, brands and designers to help mitigate impending IP risks. We do this through secure streaming technology, and providing a collaborative platform for companies to work with designers to innovate new products. We see an opportunity here for everyone to leverage the rapidly growing disruptive innovation that is 3D printing, and come out with ground-breaking products that would never have been possible before the advent of 3D printing.”
And, as companies like Pinshape begin collaborating more regularly with name brands, the idea of 3D printable IP control becomes even more important for such big companies. Matheson continues, “Our recent 3D printing design contest partnership with ELLE Time & Jewelry is a perfect example of how big brands are using communities like Pinshape to drive innovation. We’re entering a really exciting phase of 3D printing where companies are starting to leverage their existing IP and collaborating with 3D designers to create new products and derivative products online.”
If you ask some experts, IP may not be relevant in the long-term future, but, as we enter into a transitional period, in which IP remains important for those hoping to protect their own designs. And, while those on Capitol Hill might have some understanding of IP, 3D printing throws a monkey wrench into machine work. To help educate them on this increasingly important tech, a number of DC-based events – like the 3D/DC and 3D Printing Politics in the past and CES on the Hill in the future – will be essential.
