3d systems buy bits from bytes

Things now get interesting as the gap between commercial and open source gets fuzzy, 3dsystems were one of the quickest companies to litigate to defend their patents.

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Random Precision

I'm going to play the pessimist (unfortunately it does not involve much acting) and guess that this is pretty much the end of Bits From Bytes as a community player. As reported by Forrest Higgs, the question of whether or not they move to proprietary cartridges is an open question. If it is an open question at this point then I suspect that it will be a done deal by the time their next printer arrives. Most likely their software will soon be tied hard to their hardware (it might already be, I have not used it), and so on.

3DS did not buy them to help the community. They bought them to increase their bottom line. And the best way to do that is to strong differentiate the low end as an educational toy, limit artificially what it can do so that they don't impact the sales of their high end machines, and lock everything down so that the community cannot use any of their IP.

Hopefully I am proven wrong.

Hi Jim,

... this is my expectation too

Luckily we aren't really limited by this, so the developing of better usability can go on

Another question is - who's next

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

Honestly Bits from Bytes as been quasi open source from almost day one. This just means they are going to likely go full closed source now.

If this buy out means they keep their price point but start advertising, good for them.

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repraplogphase.blogspot.com

... i think this is the start of a 'war' in the RP-sector - the big players in the market begins to focus on RepRap as potential competition ... especially when the accuracy and reliability comes in comparable ranges to comercial machines (see nophead's and Forrests' print qualities).

One good thing is the global dispersion of the core-team and local groups and RR-vendors, so they can't be silenced so easily ...

The free documentation and forums are the next point, strengthening the OS character - so everybody can build his own printer either as RepRap or RepStrap.

I'm 'spreading' the infos for alternative methods and tools for enhancing the printing quality, 3D-fabbing methods and materials as far as i can ... so it stays there, if by occasion i'll went 'comercial' again

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

I do not have a problem with someone setting up an enterprise to make and sell electronics or mechanical stuff, it can help those who want an of the shelf solution, I do have a problem with big companies buying in, we will have to see how things go, but it would not be the first time a big company bought a small company to smother it. I am not sure why, but this really makes me feel uneasy.

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Random Precision

Since they were the first low cost turn key solution they were a threat!
MakerBot is not yet a threat because it is a kit.
If they start selling preassembled and calibrated MakerBots then they too will become a threat.

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Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

Charles Hull, one of 3D Systems' founders, was the guy who invented stereolithography, and the .stl file format. Isn't that what you guys are building on here? Have you felt threatened by them? They might be big, and they're the grandaddy of RP, but that doesn't make it possible for them to corral open-source software or hardware as their own proprietary, or indicate that they want to. In fact, their own original patents are exhausted, so if you want to build yourself or somebody else a big ole UV-laser-polymerising stereolithography machine, or sell one up against theirs, you can. Personally, I hope to benefit as a potential customer/hacker, and I don't think that this is going to make anything less accessible to me, but more, and I congratulate the BfB guys for building something that 3D Systems think is of value.

I wonder if they (3DS) talked to Makerbot? they could now be seen as competition to crush by 3DS now, if they do throw money at it it's going to make it harder for Makerbot to keep up the pace.

I expect the UP! printer rang a few alarm bells and maybe has something to do with them buying BFB.

It's still going to be many years before any 3D printer is mainstream and can be bought and used ay anyone like laser printer, so projects like Reprap will lead the cutting edge for quite a while yet, after all BFB machines are all still quite Darwin like...

Are there any other companies in the world like BFB? - If not, I expect a few more may pop up quite quickly, to attract the 3DS competition.

Good luck to them, and it's great news development is still based in the UK !

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[richrap.blogspot.com]

Being the massive cynic that I am, I'm expecting BfB's future research to go almost entirely closed source and the price to go up, with a tendency for closed off feedstock. Lower pricing will be oriented almost entirely to makerbot and the Chinese competition. But give how much makerbot In the last few months has been going nuts with R&D, this might enough, though now need to compete against the huge bohemith that BfB will soon become in terms of R&D funding. I bought a BfB V2.0.1 when they were first released as a lasercut product back in early 08 (it cost me about $700US for a whole kit back then which didn't come with electronics)

Of course I could be awesomely wrong, and the reprap takes off even more due to tech transfer back and forth from BfB to the community.

3D Systems bought up the assets and IP of Desktop Factory when they ran out of venture capital. Desktop Factory's idea is similar to a laser printer, but with a roller transferring powder layers fused with a spot from an intense visible wavelength halogen bulb rather than a laser. It would surprise me not at all if that turned out to be their next development direction. It doesn't detract from Reprap at all, in fact it would be inspiring if a bottom-upwards movement were to turn out to be the saviour of a top-down project.

letsburn00 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Being the massive cynic that I am, I'm expecting
> BfB's future research to go almost entirely closed
> source and the price to go up, with a tendency for
> closed off feedstock.

Personally, I don't think that's cynical enough. I think 3DS purchased BFB for one reason only - to remove it from the market. Period.

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[haveblue.org]

That would be a HUGE waste of money

BfB has always been a bit player

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repraplogphase.blogspot.com

How many machines have BFB sold?, each one bought by a school or college takes business away from the big boys, not to mention the material supplies and maintenance contracts.

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Random Precision

If you spend $500k to save $500k worth of sales, you lose money.

No there is a greater purpose to this move, Makerbot because more "popular" than 3d Systems according to Google Trends 3 months ago. Companies pay attention to this information.

BfB's product line was not worth the money
BfB's revenue was not worth the money
BfB's engineering teams is not worth the money
BfB's customer base is small

The only real unique value in BfB is it's experence bringing a low cost RP printer to market (which they did twice), and the fact that they contain the only collection of the RepRap dev team that is "up for sale". Something unique is coming.

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repraplogphase.blogspot.com

they contain the only collection of the RepRap dev team that is "up for sale".

Are reprap developers also at bitsfrombytes, if so I did not know that.

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Random Precision

Quote
johnrpm
Are reprap developers also at bitsfrombytes, if so I did not know that.

Ed Sells works there.

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Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

3DS will be at TCT show next week and will have BFB kit on show - the press release from TCT-

"TCT 2010 is only one week away and 3D Systems is gearing up to participate with informative presentations and comprehensive exhibits along with its new family member Bits From Bytes. We invite you to visit us October 18 - 20 at booth # M8 and # H10 and take this opportunity to see all of our latest design to manufacturing solutions. Discover the best 3D printer or 3D printer Kit for your application and explore the new high definition ProJet 5000 3D Production System.

Here’s what’s planned - We will showcase high quality, affordable 3D Printers that fit right in your office, design shop or classroom – and well within your budget. Whether you need a personal desktop 3D Printer, Printer Kit or a large capacity in-office production 3D Printer with the highest resolution and part quality available – its within reach. We will also introduce you to David White, a high school teacher who lives and breathes 3D printing using the Bits From Bytes offerings to truly democratize access for his students. Listen in and hear the latest news on 3D Systems’ direction, new product offerings and commitment to extend access to 3D printing and additive manufacturing services to all"

Time compression Technology Live show is at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry UK 19th - 20th Oct - http://www.tctmagazine.com/x/conference.html

I may go up if I get time.

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[richrap.blogspot.com]

I have just noticed that we have "Reprap central", first time I have seen it, looks like makerbot to me.

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Random Precision

Ed, Ian (Ian owner of Bits from bytes), both work there. Can't think of anyone else up for sell who has RepRap dev folks.

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repraplogphase.blogspot.com