3D printing has been around for about 30 years, which means that some of the earliest patents in this space are fond memories. From 2002 to 2014, about 225 early 3D printing patents expired. About 16 key patents relating to 3D printing processes called Material Extrusion, Powder Bed Fusion, and Vat Photopolymerization expired in 2013-2014. This means that 3D printing technology that is at least 20 years old is now available for anyone to use. In this article, Finnegan attorney John F. Hornick discusses what happens when 3D printing patents expire.
Previously published by Robotics Business Review
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