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Can Your 3D Printer Refuse to Print a Gun?

1 by BKinzey
In one of the forum threads here there was a discussion about regulating 3D printers to not print firearms. I was reading Open Source Defense and they linked to an article about it.

https://all3dp.com/4/can-your-3d-printe ... dium=email

The short answer is not really. One of the major points is much of the software available to run 3D printers is open source and the end user can easily insert or delete that portion of the code.

Re: Can Your 3D Printer Refuse to Print a Gun?

4 by emotionalwhole
BKinzey wrote: Tue Oct 08, 2024 3:01 pm In one of the forum threads here there was a discussion about regulating 3D printers to not print firearms. I was reading Open Source Defense and they linked to an article about it.

https://all3dp.com/4/can-your-3d-printe ... dium=emailsnow rider 3d

The short answer is not really. One of the major points is much of the software available to run 3D printers is open source and the end user can easily insert or delete that portion of the code.
You're right—the idea of regulating 3D printers to prevent firearm printing is challenging because of how 3D printer technology works, especially with open-source software. Since a lot of 3D printing software is open-source, users can modify or bypass any restrictions, including potential "safety" codes meant to block firearm designs. Additionally, printers rely on generic file formats like G-code, which are not designed to interpret or restrict specific objects. So even if restrictions were attempted, knowledgeable users could remove or alter them fairly easily.

Re: Can Your 3D Printer Refuse to Print a Gun?

5 by CowboyT
emotionalwhole wrote: Fri Nov 01, 2024 9:42 pm
BKinzey wrote: Tue Oct 08, 2024 3:01 pm In one of the forum threads here there was a discussion about regulating 3D printers to not print firearms. I was reading Open Source Defense and they linked to an article about it.

https://all3dp.com/4/can-your-3d-printe ... dium=emailsnow rider 3d

The short answer is not really. One of the major points is much of the software available to run 3D printers is open source and the end user can easily insert or delete that portion of the code.
You're right—the idea of regulating 3D printers to prevent firearm printing is challenging because of how 3D printer technology works, especially with open-source software. Since a lot of 3D printing software is open-source, users can modify or bypass any restrictions, including potential "safety" codes meant to block firearm designs. Additionally, printers rely on generic file formats like G-code, which are not designed to interpret or restrict specific objects. So even if restrictions were attempted, knowledgeable users could remove or alter them fairly easily.
This relates directly to the Four Freedoms as outlined by Richard Stallman and the Free Software Foundation.
  • The freedom to run the program as you wish, for any purpose (freedom 0).
  • The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing as you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
  • The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help others (freedom 2).
  • The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others (freedom 3). By doing this you can give the whole community a chance to benefit from your changes. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
That's the importance of Free and Open Source Software (F/OSS). It gives you that freedom, and I'm glad that 3-D printer makers are going F/OSS with the software that controls them.
"SF Liberal With A Gun + Free Software Advocate"
http://www.sanfranciscoliberalwithagun.com/
http://www.liberalsguncorner.com/
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Re: Can Your 3D Printer Refuse to Print a Gun?

13 by papajim2jordan
CowboyT wrote: Thu Nov 07, 2024 9:26 pm
papajim2jordan wrote: Thu Nov 07, 2024 4:35 pm Should we have to go back to front loaders, would there then be flask and pouch capacity limits? My "ramming speed" isn't up to that of the Nautilus.
Don't you mean the USS Defiant?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni8MURSwSZg
My memory fades in collision with the years.

https://youtu.be/gRVNZDd4Uj0
I ordered a case of optimism from Amazon, but porch pirates beat me to it. Still, chin-up.

Re: Can Your 3D Printer Refuse to Print a Gun?

14 by CowboyT
It's probable that the USS Defiant scene was inspired by that great film. It's been a while!

Imagine if that film were banned today. With all the political correctness going on at present, I doubt it could be made nowadays.

I fear a similar thing with regard to this attempt to ban the printing of guns. What's next that someone in power doesn't like? Possibly the books 1984 and Animal Farm?
"SF Liberal With A Gun + Free Software Advocate"
http://www.sanfranciscoliberalwithagun.com/
http://www.liberalsguncorner.com/
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Re: Can Your 3D Printer Refuse to Print a Gun?

15 by BKinzey
tailgunner wrote: Thu Nov 07, 2024 6:11 pm We prevent copiers from printing currency so why not guns?
Did you read the article? They do a good job of answering that.

We don't prevent copiers from printing money. U.S. currency has attributes, on and in it, to thwart making passable copies with a copier, but people still do print and pass counterfeit money with a printer. There is nothing in the printer itself, to recognize it's printing money.

Re: Can Your 3D Printer Refuse to Print a Gun?

16 by tailgunner
BKinzey wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2024 1:46 pm
tailgunner wrote: Thu Nov 07, 2024 6:11 pm We prevent copiers from printing currency so why not guns?
Did you read the article? They do a good job of answering that.

We don't prevent copiers from printing money. U.S. currency has attributes, on and in it, to thwart making passable copies with a copier, but people still do print and pass counterfeit money with a printer. There is nothing in the printer itself, to recognize it's printing money.
Oh there is on the big commercial high end printers. My cousin works selling them to universities and corps. She runs a large portion of the western states sales. Can't say with company she works at.
GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH - FREE SPEECH IS NOT FREE.

Re: Can Your 3D Printer Refuse to Print a Gun?

18 by BKinzey
BKinzey wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2024 1:46 pm
tailgunner wrote: Thu Nov 07, 2024 6:11 pm We prevent copiers from printing currency so why not guns?
Did you read the article? They do a good job of answering that.

We don't prevent copiers from printing money. U.S. currency has attributes, on and in it, to thwart making passable copies with a copier, but people still do print and pass counterfeit money with a printer. There is nothing in the printer itself, to recognize it's printing money.
So I checked further, and there is something in consumer copiers to prevent them from copying some US currency. There is a design/pattern embedded in larger bills that the copier "sees" and it doesn't print. I tried a $100 bill and it didn't print. I tried a $1 bill and it printed just fine. Anyway there is quite the difference in a copier printing and 3D printing. I'm going to stick with the explanation in the article I posted.
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