Stratasys vs. Bambu Lab - What it Means For Makers - Making Awesome 202

[@K2Kevin]

I have "fought" multiple patent lawsuits. Most patent suits never get to the discovery phase (where it starts costing real money). It's a numbers game, and it often costs a LOT less to settle than take it to court and win. If/when you win a patent suit, you are out a million+ and get nothing in return. Sounds like you are learning how the "trolls" have been gaming the system for years, specifically in East Texas courts. I still have PTSD from the patent trolls.

[@3DMusketeers]

While IP is not my strong suit, it is with our clients and they are the Dale Gribble of this industry, NDA's patents, etc. I often tell them that without the money to fight it, a patent aint worth what it is printed on...

[@gilbertknarr5875]

I am so glad you brought up the certifications for the extra expense of Stratasys's material. Most people don't realize that is the majority of the cost.

[@3DMusketeers]

YEP! Mind you, that cost isnt too great most of the time, but they definitely squeeze more out of you because of it.

[@gilbertknarr5875]

​@@3DMusketeersI wish I had caught this when you were live. I'm watching it after the fact.

[@tasmaniakguitars]

This is so true. I recently did an article discussing this. The example was someone complaining about Markforged PLA being $80 and there is no way it's worth that much. Ultimately you're paying for a $30 roll of filament and a $50 piece of paper to say it's the same as the last batch they made. Even if the material is not that great... You're still paying for consistently crap material and it's crap in all the same ways as the last one. I also gave an example of how for a period of time, Zortrax were selling two types of ABS. V1 and V2. V1 was expensive to make. But they had made a commitment to a number of customers to continue supplying them with it for a specified period of time.

[@samuelmiller916]

How I see it, no matter what the result is, everyone in the lawsuit looses (apart from the lawyers) since Bambu are going to have to spend a shit Ton of money to fight this even if they win the prices of there printers will go up. And if stratasys win it’s not like more people will go out and buy there printers since there about 50x more expensive anyway. Also just a thought, if Bambu end up having to pay royalties through the cost of there printers will more people get prusas over Bambu since they’ll be cheaper.

[@3DMusketeers]

whatever happens, happens IMO. They flew too close to the sun and now have to answer for it.

[@tasmaniakguitars]

The problem will be is if Bambu end up paying royalties, it sets a precedence and Stratasys are then free to go after any other manufacturer for royalties as well.

[@samuelmiller916]

@@tasmaniakguitars very true, and a lot of those companies don’t have the legal teams to be able to fight it. For example I don’t use Bambu but I’m worried about what could end up happening.

[@HackMonkey]

Regarding Printed Solid spools @ 1hr:14min. the old plastic spools were about 10mm wider than typical, but the cardboard spools they have been using for over a year now are a more common width. I don't use the Bambu AMS, so I love cardboard spools!

[@3DMusketeers]

I prefer cardboard too.

[@moki123g]

I think it is great, Stratasis is suing. They are turning off an entire generation of makers from ever considering their products in the future.

[@tasmaniakguitars]

Unfortunately it won't. In 12-18 months time, no one will remember this event.

[@3DMusketeers]

Nah, makers were not buying Stratasys anyways.. Too expensive

[@jefffisher993]

Dont worry everyone. I went ahead and bought the ams ive been thinking about. So now there will be no injunction

[@ethansdad3d]

A publicly traded company would likely settle to reduce risk. Bambu Lab being a private company, might just fight it all the way. They're also likely big enough to have an IP attorney on staff, so it might not really be costing them too much to fight, as long as they don't think the risk is too big.

[@3DMusketeers]

Stratasys is the instigator here, why would they settle? Stratasys has a market cap north of half a Billion dollars, I figure their war chest is deep too

[@anthonylong5870]

@@3DMusketeers 900 million is what I seen as of June 24'

[@tasmaniakguitars]

​@@3DMusketeersBambu is also incredibly smart. I don't doubt for a second that they knew what they were infringing and have been preparing for it all along. They would have known every single patent they infringed, worked out a contingency for when this day came and sat back just waiting. Regardless of if the patents were valid or not, they would know this fight was coming. Honestly, they're probably surprised it took this long.

[@3DMusketeers]

we shall see..

[@ethansdad3d]

@@3DMusketeers it seems you misunderstood, though it's probably my fault. I was purely talking about Bambu. My point is, not being a publicly traded company, Bambu has less incentive to settle. Also, neither company is probably paying much in legal fees since they're both large enough to have IP attorneys on staff.

[@DeFrisselle]

Bambulab could just sell in the 2/3rds of the world population that Stratasys can't sue them in Would be amusing Who's using Bambulab printers ecosystem in large scale print farming production and would those companies/people have been possible Stratasys customers or former We'll all be speculating and eagerly waiting what shows in discovery

[@Auzze]

All that will happen is Stratasys will win the case as they rigged the system, Bamabu will pay a few million to use the them. The price of Bambu printer will cost more but overall Bambu will keep trading. lets look at Heated heat beds - I was building heatbeds back in 2010, textured build plates, I was using glass, builder tape and perfraded pcb back in 2010. Just a big greedy money grab by Stratasys.

[@anthonylong5870]

Not going to happen. Stratasys isnt after a cash payout. They are after either a share of Bambu Labs entire business or they want a large part of Bambu's sales and not just a few million dollars....

[@tasmaniakguitars]

​@@anthonylong5870exactly and that's where the problem lies. Once that precedence is set and Bambu is paying licensing fees, it puts Stratasys in a position to turn around to every other manufacturer and stick their hand out for licensing fees from them as well.

[@3DMusketeers]

assuming a precedent is set. If this settles outside of court I am not certain a precedent gets set at all.