It looks like a war is about to erupt on who can get the licensing rights to well know toys and characters. A very obvious target for 3D printers and especially those at the low end price range working in plastic.
Big Business In Making Toys
3D Systems have just signed an agreement with Hasbro. The company which looks after famous brands such as Transformers, Star Wars, Monopoly , Tonka, etc. – full article is here Transformers meets 3D printers.
3D Printing Copyright Infringement
However, there is a big ‘BUT’ coming. It is not going to take much to recreate models of famous toys and characters but change them just enough to overcome any possible copyright infringement. Besides the law is already blurred or untested when it comes to 3D printing and whether rights are infringed or not. It is all going to be very subjective.
Secure 3D Printing
Some companies are planning to use techniques to slice up and encrypt the data stream to stop indiscriminate manufacturing. This still does not answer basic questions about what happens when a famous character is scanned, shared or modified. In addition, the practicalities of getting worldwide agreements on anything is going to be remote when the object is clearly not patented and relying on subjective opinion.