Investigating 3D Printer Residual Data

The continued adoption of Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies is raising concerns in the security, forensics, and intelligence gathering communities. These concerns range from identifying and mitigating compromised devices, to theft of intellectual property, to sabotage, to the production of prohibited objects. Previous research has provided insight into the retrieval of configuration information maintained on the devices, but this work shows that the devices can additionally maintain information about the print process. Comparisons between before and after images taken from an AM device reveal details about the device’s activities, including printed designs, menu interactions, and the print history. Patterns in the storage of that information also may be useful for reducing the amount of data that needs to be examined during an investigation. These results provide a foundation for future investigations regarding the tools and processes suitable for examining these devices

How does additive manufacturing change trade?: evidence from trade in sound recordings

Additive manufacturing (AM), known as three-dimensional printing, has the potential to drastically change the mode of production and trade in goods. However, it is challenging to investigate the effects of AM on trade because existing AM production patterns are still immature. To get a clue on the impacts of AM, this study investigates the effects of internet distribution on trade in sound recordings, which has changed after the emergence of online shops or streaming services. Specifically, we estimate the gravity equation in the bilateral trade in sound recordings among 197 countries in 2003–2017 and examine the interaction term of internet diffusion rates between exporting and importing countries. Results show that internet penetration significantly decreases trade in sound recordings. Furthermore, the strong protection of intellectual property rights in importing countries weakens the trade-reducing effect, whereas that in exporting countries magnifies such effect

A Case Study of the development of the UK’s Additive Manufacturing National Strategy 2014-2017

The importance of the role of Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies in company, regional and national level manufacturing activities is becoming clearer as AM technologies mature and levels of adoption in a wide range of application areas increase. In response, many nations have developed national strategies (or ‘public technology strategies’) to help align public and private sector activities to address barriers to further development and adoption, and coordinate resources to address opportunities. This paper describes the process by which the UK developed its national strategy for AM. The operational details of the activities undertaken through four stages over the period 2014-2017 are explained and analysed. The aim of the paper is to share the details of how this strategy was developed – in a changing political and economic context – such that others involved in the development of similar strategies might learn from this experience

Intellectual property management challenges of additive manufacturing in replacement part supply chains

Additive manufacturing underpins Industry 4.0 and is often identified as having potential applications in replacement part supply chains; however, it also introduces complex challenges for existing governance structures, especially those linked to intellectual property security concerns. This paper quantitatively surveyed views of experts in management, engineering, and academic roles about their concerns regarding intellectual property security of additive manufacturing applications in replacement part supply chains. The findings reveal that despite the often-cited benefits there remain significant concerns about this technology's application from management and security perspectives within the Industry 4.0 era

Securing innovation in digital manufacturing supply chains : an interdisciplinary perspective on intellectual property, technological protection measures and 3D printing/additive manufacturing

Digital supply chains (DSCs) provide several advantages over traditional physical supply chains, yet they also pose new risks, including for IP, especially when associated with three-dimensional ‘3D’ printing (3DP), also known as additive manufacturing (AM). Technological protection measure (TPM) usage in DSCs may help address the IP security issues of 3DP or AM but may result in overprotection and disregard for IP exceptions, which may also have a negative impact on innovation and other goals such as sustainability. This article considers how the IP security of 3DP/AM is addressed in DSCs, including by applying TPMs. We discuss whether the current approaches strike the right balance between the competing interests of different DSC actors. We also present some novel findings from a survey conducted with expert stakeholders to better understand IP security issues in practice. Our findings show that most respondents see IP and IP security efforts as both barriers and enablers to using 3DP/AM within DSCs. Also, the strategy chosen by most respondents for securing IP focuses on a technical approach, using inter alia TPMs. We infer that this dual perspective on IP and IP security may reflect the respondents’ differing relationship with IP in DSCs, where one may wish to create, use and secure their own IP but also encounter barriers through the inaccessibility of the IP of third parties