The Current Status and Impact of 3D Printing Within the Industrial Sector: An Analysis of Six Case Studies

Citation
Intellectual Property Office, The Current Status and Impact of 3D Printing Within the Industrial Sector: An Analysis of Six Case Studies (Feb. 2015) (Study 2) (full-text).

Overview
3D printing is a term used to describe a range of digital manufacturing technologies. They produce component parts layer-by-layer through the use of materials. There are many different types of 3D printing processes. The shift in manufacturing capability has raised questions relating to intellectual property. This technology can now allow modified, replicated and changed parts. These could then be used and sold. This might have no come back for intellectual property owners. This document presents the second part of the study through a series of case studies and interviews.