Stratasys has dropped charges against two named defendants in its patent infringement lawsuits against Bambu Lab, the leading manufacturer of desktop FDM 3D printers.
The two complaints were filed in August, with Stratays alleging that Bambu has infringed on ten of its 3D printing patents. These relate to common 3D printer features such as purge towers, heated build platforms, tool head force detection, and networking capabilities.
Documents published on CourtListner indicate that Stratasys has dismissed the charges against Beijing Tiertime Technology Co., Ltd. and Beijing Yinhua Laser Rapid Prototyping and Mould Technology Co. Ltd. Both defendants represent the company Tiertime, the first 3D printer manufacturer to come out of China.
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division has accepted the dismissal, with all claims dropped without prejudice. This means Stratasys could potentially refile the claims at a later date. Both parties have agreed to cover their respective costs, legal fees, and expenses.
Despite some online speculation that a case-ending settlement might have been reached, Stratasys’ lawsuits against Bambu Lab remain open.
It is uncertain why Tiertime was initially included as a defendant in this case, as the OEM has no clear affiliation with Bambu Lab. Its name was only mentioned three times in each lawsuit, amid pages of legal documentation dedicated to allegations against Bambu.
Interestingly, both companies were previously involved in a tit-for-tat legal battle. In 2013, Stratasys sued Afinia, Tiertime’s US distributor and partner. Afinia responded in 2015 by suing uCRobotics, the Chinese distributor of MakerBot 3D printers, over alleged 3D printer patent infringements. Makerbot was a Stratasys subsidiary between 2013 and 2022 when it merged with Ultimaker.
Stratasys vs Bambu Lab patent infringement battle
Stratasys’ allegations concern Bambu Lab’s X1C, X1E, P1S, P1P, A1, and A1 mini 3D printers.
The company is demanding a trial by jury and hopes to receive a declaration that Bambu Lab has infringed on its patents, associated damages, legal fees, and an injunction preventing Bambu Lab from selling the named models in the future.
The lawsuits have come as Stratasys’ poor financial performance is juxtaposed with Bambu’s rapid market growth. The Chinese firm is cannibalizing the 3D printer sales of larger OEMs such as Stratasys. This is being driven by the fact that Bambu Lab’s 3D printers offer features similar to those of many industrial FDM offerings at a fraction of the price.
According to market intelligence firm CONTEXT, Midrange and professional models, such as those made by Stratasys, fell by 7% and 34% in Q1, respectively. On the other hand, entry-level 3D printer shipments increased by 35% in Q4 2023 and 26% in Q1 2024. This growth is being spearheaded by Bambu, which posted a 3000% increase in 3D printer shipments last year.
Stratasys’ lawsuits against Bambu Lab have caused a stir in the 3D printing community, drawing strong criticism from the open-source community.
Dr Joshua Pearce, an academic engineer at Western University, worries that the case could lead to widespread weaponization of intellectual property (IP) by 3D printer manufacturers. He told 3D Printing Industry “No one is going to win,” and that a Stratasys victory would “slow innovation and increase costs for consumers.”
This sentiment is echoed by Open Source Hardware Association (OSHWA) board member Michael Weinberg, who stated that anyone selling FDM 3D printers “will be looking very closely at this case.”
RepRap founder Dr Adrian Bowyer called the notion of patents “nonsense upon stilts,” decrying how they “inhibit creativity and stifle innovation.”
Andrew Spitzer, a patent litigator from Crowell & Moring, commented that the lawsuits could cause a “seismic shift in the 3D printing landscape,” with Stratasys potentially becoming a “gatekeeper to the 3D printing industry.”
While it remains to be seen how the patent infringement battle will be resolved, patent litigator Alan Laquer believes Stratasys is likely pursuing a settlement. He told 3D Printing Industry that the chances of the case going to trial are slim.
According to Laquer, plaintiffs and defendants usually iteratively reevaluate their odds as the case progresses. They then “settle based on their perceived strengths, weaknesses, uncertainties, and costs.”
Notably, less than 3% of the over 2,200 patent cases overseen by Judge Gilstrap (presiding over the lawsuits) in the last five years went to trial. This is reportedly “typical for patent cases.”
3D printing patent battles
3D printing patent infringement allegations are nothing new. Earlier this year, Canadian plasma system and material developer Tekna defeated Colibrium Additive subsidiary Advanced Powders & Coatings Inc. in a patent litigation case.
The litigation related to competing patent rights for titanium powder production in Canada. r, AP&C alleged that Tekna’s production of titanium alloy powders infringed on its Canadian Patents 3,003,502 and 3,051,236.
The Federal Court of Canada ultimately ruled in favor of Tekna, conclusion that ’502 Patent is, and has always been, invalid and void. ’236 Patent was also found to be invalid, except for some select claims that are not infringed by Tekna.
Elsewhere, 3D printer manufacturer Markforged was ordered to pay Continuous Composites $17.34 million in a patent-infringement lawsuit which began in 2021. The case went to trial, where a federal jury found that several of the company’s 3D printers infringed on a patent that covers a process for continuous composite 3D printing.
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Featured image shows Stratasys’ Headquarters in Rehovot, Isreal. Photo via Stratasys.
