3D Printing: Implications for Patents, Trademarks, Trade Secrets and Copyrights

3D printing impacts all industries—from aviation and automotive to medicine and toys. 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, turns industrialization on its head, moving from mass production to individual production. For example, Porsche prints spare parts for its vintage cars, and Siemens uses the technology for quick repair of gas turbine components.

The implications of 3D printing are enormous for all forms of IP. A 3D printed item may be very similar to a patented product and may infringe on patent rights, trade dress or trademark rights. Similarly, unique art scanned and 3D printed may infringe on an artist’s copyright. Counterfeit goods used to take significant coordination and investment to be cost effective. Now the creation of a counterfeit product can be accomplished with a 3D printer and can be done anywhere.

While companies can take advantage of 3D printing for their purposes, policing IP in a 3D printer world will be increasingly difficult. Counsel to IP owners must prepare strategies now to protect IP.

Listen as our authoritative panel of IP attorneys discusses the potential impact of 3D printing on patent, trademark, trade secrets and copyrights. The panel will offer enforcement strategies to protect IP rights.

1. 3D printing implications for IP
   1. Patent
   2. Trademarks and trade dress
   3. Trade secret
   4. Copyrights
2. Policing and enforcement strategies
3. Overarching issues

The panel will review these and other high profile issues:

• How does 3D printing of products impact different types of intellectual property?
• When determining which type of protection to seek, what factors related to 3D printing should IP counsel consider?
• What steps should counsel take to police and protect IP in light of 3D printing?