3D printing : legal, philosophical and economic dimensions

Abstract

The book in front of you is the first international academic volume on the legal, philosophical and economic aspects of the rise of 3D printing.℗ℓ In recent years 3D printing has become a hot topic. Some claim that it will revolutionize production and mass consumption, enabling consumers to print anything from clothing, automobile parts and guns to various foods, medication and spare parts for their home appliances. This may significantly reduce our environmental footprint, but also offers potential for innovation and creativity.℗ℓ At the same time 3D printing raises social, ethical, regulatory and legal questions. If individuals can print anything they want, how does this affect existing systems of intellectual property rights? What are the societal consequences of the various types of products one can print with a 3D printer, for example weapons? Should all aspects of 3D printing be regulated, and if so, how and to what ends? How will businesses (have to) change their way of working and their revenue model in light of the shift to printing-on-demand? How will the role of product designers change in a world where everyone has the potential to design their own products? These and other questions are addressed in high quality and in-depth contributions by academics and experts, bringing together a wide variety of academic discussions on 3D printing from different disciplines as well as presenting new views, broadening the discussion beyond the merely technical dimension of 3D printing. Bibi van den Berg is Associate Professor at eLaw, the Center for Law and Digital Technologies at Leiden University, The Netherlands. Simone van der Hof is Full Professor at eLaw in Leiden and Eleni Kosta is Associate Professor at TILT, the Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology and Society at Tilburg University, The Netherlands. Series Information; Contents; Contributors; 1 Introduction ; 1.1 Why This Book Matters?; 1.2 An Overview of the Book; 1.2.1 Part I: Legal and Regulatory Issues; 1.2.2 Part II: Social, Political and Philosophical Aspects of 3D Printing; 1.2.3 Part III: Business, Innovation and 3D Printing; Part I Legal and Regulatory Issues in 3D Printing; 2 When 3D Printing and the Law Get Together, Will Crazy Things Happen? ; 2.1 Introduction: An Opportunity, and A Warning; 2.2 3D Printing; 2.3 3D Printing in Action; 2.4 Using 3D Printing; 2.4.1 Creating Original Products; 2.4.2 Copying Products. 2.4.2.1 Copyright2.4.2.2 Patent; 2.4.2.3 Trademark; 2.4.2.4 Use in Commerce; 2.4.3 Replacement Objects; 2.4.4 Using Logos and Other Trade Dress; 2.4.4.1 Design Patents; 2.4.4.2 Trade Dress; 2.4.5 Remixing; 2.5 Future Issues; 2.5.1 Patent; 2.5.1.1 Expansion of Contributory Infringement; 2.5.1.2 Evidence of Copying; 2.5.1.3 Staple Article of Commerce; 2.5.1.4 Knowledge; 2.5.1.5 Repair and Reproduction; 2.5.2 Copyright; 2.5.3 Trademark; 2.5.4 Expansion of Liability; 2.6 Conclusion; References. 3 CC-PlusDesign.eu-Or How to Apply Creative Commons Licences to 3D Printed Products in the Light of the Most Recent Developments of the European Court of Justice Case Law 3.1 Introduction; 3.2 The EU Legal Framework: Copyright and Designs; 3.2.1 EU Copyright Directives: Scope of Protection and Protected Rights; 3.2.2 Protected Works and Elaborations; 3.2.3 Cumulation? Only of the Right Kind; 3.3 Creative Commons; 3.3.1 The Creative Commons Public License (CCPL); 3.3.2 CCPL's Scope and Licensed Rights; 3.3.3 CC0; 3.4 Open Design; 3.4.1 The Blueprint; 3.4.2 The Blueprint-Product Relationship. 3.4.3 The Product3.4.4 The Licensee's Perspective; 3.5 A Proposal; 3.6 Conclusion; References; 4 From Material Scarcity to Artificial Abundance: The Case of FabLabs and 3D Printing Technologies ; 4.1 Introduction; 4.2 The Information Realm; 4.2.1 Information as a Quasi-Public Good; 4.2.2 The Copyright Regime: Introducing Artificial Scarcity to a Non-rival Resource; 4.2.3 The Copyleft Regime: Removing Scarcity from an Artificially Scarce Resource; 4.3 The Digital Realm; 4.3.1 Properties of the Digital World; 4.3.2 Spreading the 'Meme' of Collaboration and Sharing. 4.3.3 The Impact in the Physical World4.4 The Physical Realm; 4.4.1 Reducing Scarcity of Raw Materials; 4.4.2 Shared Tools and Production Facilities; 4.4.3 Free Access to Knowledge and Skills; 4.5 Conclusion; References; Part II Social, Political and Philosophical Implications of 3D Printing; 5 Possible Printings: On 3D Printing, Database Ontology, and Open (Meta)Design ; 5.1 Introduction; 5.2 Open Design; 5.2.1 Openness; 5.2.2 What Is Open Design?; 5.2.3 Problems; 5.3 Database Ontology; 5.3.1 The ABCD of Computing; 5.3.2 From Flat to Relational Databases; 5.3.3 The Database as Metaphor.