Open Source Vs. Close Source Printers - What's it mean?

[urbanmyth]

I know this probably sounds stupid to a lot of people. However, what is the difference between 3D printers that are completely Open Source, and those that are Close Source? I keep hearing these terms but I don't exactly know what they mean.

[DrLuigi]

OpenSource is just that everyone can use em, Make them, and produce/sell them without a problem,
This also means that people can copy it and improve it.

Closed just means you cant sell the same thing.

Thats why some 3d print technologys as 3d sintering is almost expired and companys are waiting it to happen so they can produce it also.

[MartinPoets]

OpenSource is just that everyone can use em, Make them, and produce/sell them without a problem,
This also means that people can copy it and improve it.

Closed just means you cant sell the same thing.

Thats why some 3d print technologys as 3d sintering is almost expired and companys are waiting it to happen so they can produce it also.

So does open mean that you can copy it, and sell them for a profit?

[DrLuigi]

As many use the Prusa opensource model and sell it i guess you can.

[thejollygrimreaper]

I know this probably sounds stupid to a lot of people. However, what is the difference between 3D printers that are completely Open Source, and those that are Close Source? I keep hearing these terms but I don't exactly know what they mean.

while the main difference between the two is one can be freely re produced and the other cannot , there are a lot of other issues,

a classic example with closed source is with the up! 3d printer, there is no arguement that it is capable of putting out some kind quality prints and it's ability to print unwarped abs prints is a very big advantage the downside is that you are locked out of everything pretty much the extruder is designed towards the oem filament they sell and nothing else and replacement parts are very very expensive

where as with opensource eg a fairly standard prusa I2 or a Prusa I3 and the software behind it (slic3r and printrun) you have access to everything, you are not locked into 1 brand of filament/material you can use other or multiple extruders as a result with the right selection of hotend and extruder these printers made from threaded rod and printed parts are capable of printing with a much better degree of quality than a lot of proprietary printers and with a greater degree of reliability
the downside is that you need to know what you are doing, but it's getting very close to "click and print" and fast