Trade Barriers

From: Brock Hinzmann (SRI International)
Date: Tuesday, April 5, 1994

From: Brock Hinzmann (SRI  International)
To: RP-ML
Date: Tuesday, April 5, 1994
Subject: Trade Barriers
     The recent announcements of new RP machines have raised some interesting questions about patent and trade issues. 
     Most of the government programs in Europe and Japan seem to focus on getting  domestic companies to adopt or improve on existing RP technology, even though most of the existing equipment is made by American (and one Israeli) vendors. Is that a fair assessment? Has any discussion taken place about a large European firm acquiring one of the major vendors, or are local entrepreneurs encouraged to develop new equipment?
     Some European vendors seem to have original technology, like Sparx (does anyone know how many 
machines Sparx has sold? Are they still selling for around US$13 000?). Oce Graphics (Netherlands) is said to have a new machine (does anyone know anything about it?) 
     EOS and Laser 3D, on the other hand, seem to be making money by borrowing technology from the likes of 3D Systems and DTM. Are such machines blatant patent violations, or do EOS and Laser 3D feel they have original technology that protects them? Or do they feel they simply have more financial resources than 3D Systems and DTM and can outlast them in a lawsuit? Japanese RP machines are not sold in the United States, probably out of concern for legal problems. Will European RP machines face similar problems in the United States? 
     I have endless questions along these lines. Anyone that cares to take me up on a discussion, please respond to this message.
     thank you.
Brock Hinzmann 
SRI International


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