While teenagers in the US are able to get behind both a trigger and the wheel before they can take their first sip of alcohol, one manufacturer has at least drawn the line at allowing them to print their own guns.
That manufacturer is 3D print company Stratasys, which confiscated one of its devices, a uPrint SE, from 24-year-old University of Texas undergraduate Cody Wilson.
Wilson, a founder of Defense Distributed – a group that aims to produce a "fully-printable gun comprised of near 100% printable parts" to disseminate online, was thwarted due to his lack of a federal firearms manufacturers’ licence, which Stratasys reasoned made his printed project illegal.
Assuming Wilson manages to resurrect his 3D printing plans, he already has his eyes on a follow-up product: ammo. "3D printable ammunition would be a joy to pursue," he said.
So, Stetsons off to the good folks at Stratasys for helping to keep the lid of this particular pandora’s box closed for at least a while longer.
Got a hair-raising print story? Email pamela.mardle@haymarket.com
