# Specific 3D Printers, Scanners, & Hardware > Peachy Printer Forum >  Will we see copy cats?

## Maggie

Do you guys think we will quickly see companies copying the idea from Peachy Printer?  As far as I know they don't have a patent on this technology, do they?

Seems like it is a pretty simple idea, that any larger company could easily duplicate.

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## nka

It's sure it will be copied, with better and/or cheaper part.

No patent as it's open source hardware.

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## ronnytedeski

I love how they are leaving this as open source.  I'm just wondering if it will come back and bite them in the butt.

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## Lochemage

I think the whole point of it being open source is to encourage people to 'copy' and improve upon the design.  So in this case, I certainly hope it is copied.  I expect vast improvements at a very quick rate.

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## jankoo

Look here http://www.3ders.org/articles/201601...-polymers.html

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## quertz

(The Video from the link)
https://youtu.be/CmZ_9646q2U?t=1694
"We could print a canoe if we wanted to"

^^

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## Bryce

His comment about printing a canoe makes me almost certain he's seem the peachy, the most interesting thing he mentions are the resin properties and messing around with partial curing layers

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## quertz

Yes of course.
They are not just copy cats,
they use the same technology to print highly sophisticated materials which is the central part of their work.

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## Alchemy

I feel Peachy Printers is about what people can do with 3D printers. The original pitch seemed to suggest Ryan invented it because he couldn't afford a 3D printer to invent other products with.

Big companies have a horrible attitude to makers and would be inventors. Like we have to pay a premium for the luxury of inventing it ourselves. And our print is the end of the process not the beginning of something. Even if they copy it they will focus so much on getting every cent from the customers people will regret buying from a soulless company.

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## Anuvin

Alchemy nailed it. Peachy has publicly posted ethical promises to itself and to its customers. You aren't going to get that from a corporate giant. Regarding small companies attempting to copy the design, Peachy will have the leg up in experience and reputation.

That video is very suspicious.

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## oninoshiko

> Yes of course.
> They are not just copy cats,
> they use the same technology to print highly sophisticated materials which is the central part of their work.


The z-fluid idea is almost certainly gaped from Ryan. The idea is now out there, which (and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about this, it's the impression I get from the peachy ethics page) is the point. No one can now patent floating resin on a slowly rising liquid. Ryan did it, choose not to patent it (despite the novelty of it) and so now it's obvious to anyone versed in the state of the art.

DLP units have been used in 3d printing before, I don't expect them to be able to get that less expensive then the peachy's setup.

I, for one, will demand the real McCoy. More adaptable, more versatile, and probably less expensive. We are at the price point where you no longer have to ask "Why do I need a 3d printer?" but "Why wouldn't I want a 3D printer." That's just amazing. 

Here's the other thing they say in that article: they mention that guy doing different resins. While I'll favor official resins, have more with different properties certainly appeals. 

Personally, I think Ryan will do just fine: just like Arduino, Teensy and Flora products all do fine (Teensy and Flora are Ardunio derivatives and even being listed on the Arduino web-site as examples of good community members who contribute code, bug reports, and raise the level of discourse for that ecosystem). There are those who don't contribute back, and those that are flat-out bad-faith players. I'm sure Ryan has trademarked his brand, so enforce the trademark, and go after the counterfeiters misusing the brand. Is that situation perfect? No (ask any of the soulless corporate suits and they have that same counterfeiter problem). Will it be enough to sustain Rinnovated Design, and allow Ryan to invent his next thing? Absolutely!

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## curious aardvark

> No one can now patent floating resin on a slowly rising liquid.


As long as it hasn't been patented - then yes someone could patent it and apply for back revenues for anyone who's used it.

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## Anuvin

> As long as it hasn't been patented - then yes someone could patent it and apply for back revenues for anyone who's used it.


Wrong. Film counts as proof, the person who applied for the patent would have to prove that they started research before public filming of the process in 2013.

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