Stratasys vs. Bambu Lab: A 3D Printing Patent Dispute with Far-Reaching Implications – 3DPrint.com

Additive manufacturing (AM) stalwart Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq: SSYS) has initiated authorized motion towards Bambu Lab and its related entities, alleging patent infringement by their 3D printers. Filed within the US District Courtroom for the Japanese District of Texas, the lawsuit targets Bambu Lab’s father or mother firm, Shanghai Lunkuo Expertise Co.; its affiliate, Shenzhen Tuozhu Expertise Co.; and related subsidiaries Bambulab Ltd. and Tuozhu Expertise Ltd. Additionally named within the swimsuit is Beijing Tiertime Expertise Co., identified for its Up sequence of 3D printers, together with its father or mother firm Beijing Yinhua Laser Speedy Prototyping and Mould Expertise Co.

Stratasys’s complaints concentrate on ten patents masking key applied sciences generally utilized in shopper 3D printers, together with heated construct platforms, purge towers, and pressure detection techniques. These patents, in line with Stratasys, are essential to the functioning and efficiency of 3D printers that focus on entry-level and intermediate customers—areas the place Bambu Lab has gained important market traction since its launch in 2022.

The Applied sciences in Dispute

The particular patents being challenged within the Stratasys vs. Bambu Lab lawsuit are:

1. US9421713B2 – Additive Manufacturing Technique for Printing Three-Dimensional Components with Purge Towers
2. US9592660B2 – Heated Construct Platform and System for Three-Dimensional Printing Strategies
3. US7555357B2 – Technique for Constructing Three-Dimensional Objects with Extrusion-Primarily based Layered Deposition Techniques
4. US9168698B2 – Three-Dimensional Printer with Drive Detection
5. US10556381B2 – Three-Dimensional Printer with Drive Detection
6. US10569466B2 – Tagged Construct Materials for Three-Dimensional Printing
7. US11167464B2 – Tagged Construct Materials for Three-Dimensional Printing
8. US8747097B2 – Networked Three-Dimensional Printer with Three-Dimensional Scanner
9. US11886774B2 – Detection and Use of Printer Configuration Data
10. US8562324B2 – Networked Three-Dimensional Printing

Amongst these patents, two stand out for his or her broad relevance to the 3D printing business:

• Heated Construct Platforms (US9592660B2): This know-how is important for making certain that the primary layers of a 3D printed mannequin don’t cool too shortly, which may result in warping and defects. Almost all shopper 3D printers incorporate some type of heated construct platform, making this patent probably very influential.
• Purge Towers (US9421713B2): Utilized in multi-material or multi-color printing, purge towers assist in cleansing the nozzle of residual filament, stopping shade bleed and making certain print high quality. This characteristic, branded as “prime towers” by Bambu Lab, has develop into widespread within the new technology of desktop techniques that characteristic multi-color 3D printing.

Whereas heated construct platforms are a typical characteristic, Stratasys doesn’t presently provide 3D printers that use purge towers to change between supplies or colours. Stratasys’s skilled and industrial materials extrusion 3D printers sometimes use different strategies to handle materials transitions, resembling twin extrusion techniques the place every materials has its personal devoted print head, or inside materials administration techniques that eradicate the necessity for exterior purge constructions. Though Stratasys holds patents associated to purge towers, this characteristic shouldn’t be utilized in its personal machines.

A Historical past of Lawsuits

Traditionally, patent disputes within the 3D printing sector have had lasting impacts. As an example, 3D Techniques’ lawsuit towards Formlabs in 2012 resulted in a settlement requiring Formlabs to pay an 8% royalty on gross sales, which finally drove the desktop stereolithography (SLA) firm to develop a totally novel type of SLA that probably acquired round 3D Techniques’ mental property (IP).

Different main lawsuits have included EOS vs. DTM Company in 1997, by which the 2 firms finally needed to cross-license their selective laser sintering (SLS) patents; 3D Techniques vs. EOS GmbH in 2001, by which the 2 firms additionally cross-licensed; and MCP Tooling vs. EOS GmbH in 2008, which was settled out of court docket. These circumstances usually led to important adjustments within the firms concerned, resembling DTM being acquired by 3D Techniques and MCP’s Realizer by DMG Mori, presumably hinting on the monetary or aggressive burden these smaller companies confronted earlier than being pressured to promote.

Within the case of Stratasys and Tiertime, there may be an actual precedent. Stratasys sued Tiertime’s U.S. reseller Afinia in 2013, together with patents associated to heated construct platforms. The case finally led to a settlement, with Afinia agreeing to make changes to its printers. Nonetheless, anybody new to analyzing the AM market probably hasn’t heard of Afinia, indicating simply how detrimental the swimsuit was to the model. In the meantime, Tiertime’s merchandise have been overshadowed by Bambu and its opponents, resembling Creality.

Stratasys vs. Bambu Lab: The Stakes

The stakes are considerably completely different this time round. As a result of general market local weather, Stratasys has been struggling financially, to the purpose that it has bought off main belongings and put its headquarters available on the market. If it wins the swimsuit towards Bambu, Stratasys may probably acquire some royalties from licensing, perhaps upwards of $15 million over 5 years as a low-end estimate. This might offset the $1 to $10 million wanted to proceed the swimsuit in the long term.

Nonetheless, Stratasys’s latest financials counsel that financing an extended and probably costly lawsuit may pressure the corporate’s funds. Whereas Stratasys has a strong asset base and stays one of many highest income pureplay 3D printing companies available in the market, its present money move points and constant web losses may make a chronic authorized battle difficult. However, with a robust stability sheet, Stratasys may nonetheless have the flexibility to leverage its belongings or entry exterior financing if essential to cowl the prices of litigation.

The time it might take to run the swimsuit, nevertheless, wouldn’t herald any fast funds from royalties. With these types of circumstances stretching anyplace from two to 5 years, it might be extra about putting a monetary burden on Bambu or acquiring a settlement to keep away from extended monetary strain.

Whether or not Bambu may wind up like its predecessors, Tiertime and Afinia, is troublesome to foretell. Bambu Lab’s printers have been game-changers for the business and past. Quite a few print farms have popped up, with the speedy throughput of the machines offsetting the associated fee, and the standard and colours attainable leading to commercially related merchandise.

Two potential outcomes could possibly be that Bambu loses to the purpose that it disappears from the market like Tiertime/Afinia, permitting an organization like Creality or AnkerMake to take its place. That is basically what occurred within the wake of the buyer 3D printing bubble of the final decade. Alternatively, Bambu may maintain important sufficient weight within the Chinese language additive business that it may obtain monetary help to climate the storm—probably with backing from drone producer DJI, whose engineers went on to ascertain Bambu.