Open Hardware's Demise: How China's Patent Strategy is Stifling 3D Printing Innovation
2025-08-16
A Hacker News post exposes a concerning trend: China's strategic use of patents to stifle open-source 3D printing hardware. Numerous Chinese companies leverage 'super deduction' policies to file patents on minor variations of existing technologies, effectively creating a patent minefield for smaller open-source projects. The high cost and time commitment of fighting these patents, even with prior art, puts open-source initiatives at a severe disadvantage. The author calls for the open-source community to unite and proactively monitor patent filings to protect the future of open hardware.
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China patents