Bambu Lab’s MakerWorld has taken legal action against rival 3D printing platforms for allegedly copying and commercialising open source-based models.
The open source foundation of 3D printing is facing one of its biggest tests yet as Bambu Lab’s MakerWorld files lawsuits against Creality Cloud (Creality), Nexprint (Elegoo), and MakerOnline (Anycubic) for alleged copyright infringement. The company accuses these platforms of bulk copying exclusive MakerWorld models, impersonating creators, and using the content in commercial advertising, breaching its non-commercial and non-derivative licence terms.
Launched two years ago, MakerWorld has become one of the world’s largest 3D model-sharing communities, with nearly 10 million monthly active users and over one million 3D models. Its “one-click print” feature and MakerReward system, which pays top designers up to RMB 500,000 (USD 70,000) annually, have helped reduce entry barriers for new creators.
However, the legal action marks a shift in the open source ethos that once defined 3D printing. Industry experts told 36Kr that Bambu Lab’s software builds on a modified version of open-source PrusaSlicer, yet remains closed-source. Prusa founder Josef Prusa himself has criticised firms that leverage open source contributions without releasing their own hardware designs.
“Whoever becomes number one starts using copyright protection to limit competitors,” one insider noted, calling such platforms “a powerful moat.”
As the global 3D printing market heads toward USD 134.6 billion by 2034, the case highlights a pivotal choice for the sector: whether it will continue to thrive on open collaboration or succumb to proprietary control as commercial stakes rise.
