Disney has been seriously interested in 3D printing for some time and have now filed a series of patents that they hope that will significantly change the whole of the 3D printing process, by not using the layer by layer system but by using the Disney Stereo Lithography (STL) file format which is already being used.

3D Printing Industry reported on the 12th June 2017, that Disney have published patents for anti-scanning filament 3D method. This is a method developed by the Walt Disney Company to 3D print objects that are unsuitable to be copied by 3D scanning.

Many characters that are popular in the 3D world are often printed in an unauthorised setting and Disney are trying away to stop this happening. They are using this research to prevent unauthorised copies but also to investigate the benefits of 3D printing as a method of manufacture that Disney can take up to produce their merchandise.

Anti-Scanning Filament

Disney use a FFF 3D printer which are the same models as the Ultimaker and the Raise3D also an anti-scanning filament which is made from a combination of plastic and retroreflective material which acts as an anti-scanning additive.

This will protect a product from unauthorised duplication because Disney would include a scan protective surface on at least one part of the object and this means that section of the model is either light absorbing or reflective.

Reducing Imitation

The patent claims that 3D printed objects are easy to scan and copy without the use of the original file. This is particularly significant when companies like Disney produce sets of collectable figurines and the large volume of sales generated that make a profit for Disney which is reduced my illegal copying.

This article also refers to the paper by researchers at NYU Tandon School of Engineering who deliberately insert mistakes into the files to protect them.

This has already been mentioned on another previous blog. A New Way Of Stopping Counterfeit 3D Printed Objects

Disney’s 3D Printing

Disney 3D print studio gives customers the opportunity to purchase e.g. Star Wars Models and in the future may offer its own 3D printing service which would incorporate Disney’s own anti-scanning material to prevent endless copies.

 

Clarke, C. (2017). Disney Publishes Patent For Anti-Scanning Filament 3D Printing Method. [online] 3D Printing Industry. Available at: https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/disney-publishes-patent-anti-scanning-filament-3d-printing-method-115659/ [Accessed 12 Jun. 2017].

Disney Enterprises, Inc. (2017). Print Method Using A Three Dimensional (3D) Printer To Provide Scanning Protection For Printed 3D Objects. US 2017/0151715 A1.