New York’s bill proposes requiring all 3D printers sold in the state to include “blocking technology” software that scans every design file for firearm blueprints and prevents printing of flagged gun parts. [More]
[Via WiscoDave]
Notes from the Resistance
They worry about applications of additive technologies while they ignore subtractive technologies. A lathe, drill press and a CNC milling machine may be more powerful and useful.
I once worked with a man who underwent a machinal engineering apprenticeship in West Germany. At one point in the program he was given a blueprint drawing, a block of metal, calipers and a file and told to make the part in the drawing. Good luck with New York or any other government stopping someone with those skills.
Werner Von Braun once described the start of his apprenticeship. One of the machinists handed him a file and a lump of iron about the size of a baby’s head and told him to bring it back when he had shaped it into a cube.
And how will the “blocking technology” recognize “firearm parts”, as opposed to any other device parts? It can include known designs, but someone could make their own designs, or break up a part into multiple chunks that may or may not “trigger” (heh!) the program to halt.
This is as dumb as including technology to “phone home,” report if/when someone tries to print any specific kind of part, and require a “go ahead” message before the printer prints. Anyone with the know-how can set up their router to detect such traffic before it leaves the home network, redirect it to an in-network device they control which will return that “go ahead” message. Heck, an enterprising individual could build cheap plug-in boxes that do exactly that with very little know-how required for the setup.
This is nothing but the “microstamping ploy” — the technology doesn’t exist.
The difference is that this one will die a fast death because it inconveniences a whole swath of people who never had intentions of making anything gunnish, but who still won’t be able to buy their 3D printers.
Don’t buy into any 3D printer tool chain that is not 100% open source, and protected by the GPL.
That includes the CAD software that produces the mesh describing the object to be printed, the slicer software that converts the mesh into the G code that the printer firmware used to guide the moving parts, and the printer firmware itself.
Also be aware that there is no legitimate need for any of the above to access the web while the process is underway. There are some convenience processes, like being able to remotely check the progress of your print, but those open security holes that might let some future law enforcement folks monitor your print as well.
Today most of us can go down to a brick an mortar sore or a table at a gun show and buy an AR15 lower much easier and cheaper that rolling your own. There are people in high places trying their best to make that impossible. If they succeed, you might be stuck with the alternative of making your own. There are people who are trying to stop that as well. The question for you is, are you going to sit back and let them? If all of that stuff about “mesh” and “slicer”, and “G code” is gibberish to you, maybe you need to set a goal of printing your first “Benchy” by springtime.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOz0-N5pgB4