Stratasys seizes (revokes lease) 3D printer from man who tried to make gun

[The Straight Story]

No doubt Stratasys was happy when it received the lease application and $20,000 from Cody Wilson for a new professional-grade 3D printer. But just a matter of days later, the company seized possession of the device because it found out Wilson wanted to create a 3D-printed pistol.

Wilson is the director of a group called Defense Distributed. He was heading up an initiative to see if it would be possible to create a fully functional gun using a 3D printer. There have been other similar projects that required numerous other metal pieces so that the 3D-printed parts only provided a partial gun.

For Wilson and Defense Distributed, the goal is to ultimately provide an open-source platform where users can both upload and download 3D-printed gun schematics. The group raised more than $20,000, enough for a down payment on the high-end 3D printer from Stratasys, which has been involved in some great projects, including giving a little girl magic arms.

Once that company discovered Wilson’s intentions, they emailed and informed him they would be making arrangements to pick up the device from his house. Startasys decided to revoke the lease. Of course Wilson argued, but Stratasys said its policy was to not allow its products to be used for illegal purposes.

http://www.geek.com/articles/geek-cetera/stratasys-seizes-3d-printer-from-man-who-tried-to-make-gun-2012102/

[NYC_SKP]

1. Story is from October 2012. Cody R. Wilson has since gotten an FFL permit to manufacture arms.

.
Link to March 17, 2013 story:

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/03/3d-printed-gunmaker-now-has-federal-firearms-license-to-manufacture-deal-guns/

Picture of the license:



I have no idea if he's gotten back the printer or gotten a different one.

[The Straight Story]

2. Cool, thanks for the update (nt)

[Generation_Why]

3. Time to make it a felony to download 3D printer blueprints for weapons...

We need a Congress that stays ahead of the curve on developing technologies.

[NutmegYankee]

4. Hell, lets make everything a felony!

The prison-industrial complex needs to make a massive profit!

[Erose999]

5. I have no problems with this asshole making license plates. He can use a 3d printer for that.

[sir pball]

6. Except manufacturing firearms yourself isn't illegal

No, really - manufacturing a non-fully-automatic firearm for your own personal use is 100% legal; you can't very well make having the 3D files for a weapon illegal.

You're free to try and change the law, but that's how things stand now.

[Earth_First]

7. This entire situation was to prove a point...

I personally believe that it is WELL within their desired intent to push the limit on existing firearms laws; up to and including automatic weapons just to say: "told you so..."

This isn't just some guy tinkering in his garage for his own amusement.

The financial backing of this project most likely comes from very 'concerned' NRA supporters and their ilk.

Stratasys is to be commended on their revocation of their equipment.

[Recursion]

8. You *really* think this genie is going back into the bottle? (nt)

[sir pball]

9. I'm not arguing with what Stratasys did at all

Especially since DD was pretty clearly manufacturing.

I was just pointing out that it would be legally impossible to make downloading the plans a felony since it's not necessarily illegal to use the plans.

[Recursion]

10. You're not familiar with the DMCA, are you? (nt)

[sir pball]

11. Quite, actually.

DD is releasing their plans unencumbered, if that's what you're getting at.

[Recursion]

12. I was being snide; just pointing out that there is precedent for things to be arbitrarily illegal

particularly on computer networks.

[NYC_SKP]

13. See my post above. The man now has a permit to manufacture.

He's good to go until April 1, 2016.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022564171#post1

I have no idea if he's tried to get another Stratasys or not.

And, if others who suggest that big NRA types are behind this are right, I would expect him to have several of these.

But he doesn't AFAIK.