Citing a need to protect IP and freedom to innovate, open source 3D printer manufacturer Ultimaker is now investing in defensive patents.

Dutch company Ultimaker is one of the leading 3D printer manufacturers in the world. Together with brands like Lulzbot and Original Prusa, they’ve carried the torch for open source hardware and software in the 3D printing industry.

But this week sees a surprise announcement — Ultimaker has filed their very first patents. Does this mean the company is turning their back on open source development? It wasn’t so long ago another leading 3D printer maker did exactly that; MakerBot has been buffeted by problems ever since, and it’s arguable their troubles stem from this momentous decision.

So what’s happening, exactly? The key takeaway is “defensive patents”. Ultimaker has carefully outlined their position in a pair of official statements. In a press release, Ultimaker CEO Jos Burger says:

“The patents are in place not to restrict our users in any way, but to allow our company, partners and users alike the chance to enjoy greater design freedom. We’re proud of our role in developing the 3D printing ecosystem worldwide, and our defensive patents will enable us to continue to do this.”

The line of reasoning is that Ultimaker has experienced considerable growth, and is preparing to enter the global professional market. Filing defensive patents helps the company to keep their innovations protected, and to countersue if a competitor sues for infringement.

Are Defensive Patents Really Key to Ultimaker’s Growth?

So what are these defensive patents about? They specifically concern technology known as ‘Active Bed leveling’ in the Ultimaker 3.

In a post shared by Ultimaker Community and Event Manager Sander Van Geelen, one of the patents (reference NL2015361) is as follows:

“According the present invention a print bed levelling system of the type defined in the preamble is provided, wherein the print bed levelling system comprises a nozzle head assembly movably arranged with respect to a substantially flat print bed member, the nozzle head assembly comprising one or more nozzle bodies each having a nozzle end, and a contactless sensor member disposed at a print bed engagement end of the nozzle head assembly, wherein the contactless sensor member comprises a sensing surface in sensing engagement with the print bed member over a relative sensing range between a distal sensing position and a proximal sensing distance.”

Got all that? Needless to say, the company is at pains to reassure customers alarmed by the move. While this strategy protects Ultimaker against frivolous lawsuits by unscrupulous competitors, they say it won’t impact how the company interacts with their users.

“We won’t be initiating patent lawsuits against anyone who uses our technology in good faith,” says Burger. “Personal use, research and small business development is, of course, what our products and services are designed for.”

What do you think? Has Ultimaker turned to the dark side? Or are they taking a necessary step to protect their future? Let us know in the comments.