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[–] 32 points 1 month ago (2 children)

The article mentions four patents:

9,168,698 / 10,556,381 - Force detection on the printhead, ie when your printer homes the z-axis by touching the nozzle against the build plate (would not include conductive or magnetic sensors)

9,421,713 - Using purge towers in prints with multiple filaments or extruders

7,555,357 - Not really sure exactly what this describes, so here is the patent's abstract:

A method of forming a three-dimensional object using an extrusion-based layered deposition system, the method comprising generating a build path for building a layer of the three-dimensional object, where the build path defines a void region. The method further comprising generating at least one intermediate path in the void region, and generating a remnant path based at least in part on the at least one intermediate path.

Seems to include slicing objects that are not completely solid on the surface (ie a cube with a hole through the center).

So, with this precedent, Stratasys can go after.. nearly every printer on the market. Cool

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  • [–] 4 points 1 month ago (1 child)

    Looking it up from some different sources I could find the following listed as summaries of the patents:

    Multi-axis motion systems
    Heated bed management
    Enclosed chamber thermal control
    Filament flow monitoring
    Error detection software

    Those first two are basically every printer sold for the last 6 or 7 years? Seems weird they let Creality (and everyone else) do their thing for years without issue and just decided to go after Bambu. I am not a Bambu fan by any stretch, but still doesn't seem to add up.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 month ago

    If I had to bet it has more to do with Bambu making a boat load more money than other manufacturers. I'd imagine that Bambu is also popular/ reliable enough to start cutting into Stratasys' enterprise market.

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