For future reference.
http://i.materialise.com/blog/entry/i-materialise-does-not-support-3d-printing-high-security-keys
Ridiculous. That’s the same as the lease being pulled on the guy who started designing a gun. It’s censorship plain and simple. Company doesn’t like what you’re producing, it just refuses to produce the part. Nobody at Lowes/Home Depot/Ace, etc would get into trouble for copying a house key that someone brought in. This idea that services must screen the things they make for the good of the people is seriously plaguing every facet of industry this day and age.
Lawsuits
@Brian_Low , do you know of any case, ever that has been brought against key copiers for their crazy girlfriends copying their keys at lowes, etc? There’s no basis for any kind of lawsuit here.
In FACT, there have been cases in the past where Toyota has sued for copyright grounds on 3D models made by other people intended to represent one of their car models, and those have been shot down in court as well.
One gottcha in this particular case is that the key+lock design itself is encumbered in all sorts of patents, the licensing of which “controls” who is (not) allowed to manufacture compatible parts.
I expect @Michael_Weinberg will be able to provide more informed insight on the situation.
@ThantiK Music and film industries
Well, no company is obliged to serve every single customer. If @i.materialise choose to not serve customers which want to print those keys, well, fine, it’s their choice (or is it?)
I agree with their decision to not print high security keys. It is possible to use a photograph of a key to create a 3D model. It is no different than Kinko’s refusing to color copy money.
Except the copiers have anti-counterfeit detection built in. Just try color photocopying a bill on a relatively new color copier. 