Forbidden by software: are 3D printing restrictions on firearms good or bad?
The Atomic Layers: S4E10 (00096)
Atomic Layer of the Day:
At the end of October, the Spanish company Print&Go introduced a new software called 3D GUN’T that uses AI and pattern matching to detect firearm components and block them from being printed. Now, the American platform 3DPrinterOS has announced a similar project in collaboration with MIX Lab at Montclair State University to develop an algorithm for identifying 3D-printed gun parts, aiming to achieve the same goal.
The question is—is this a good idea?
The first response that comes to mind is OF COURSE! Unregulated production of firearms or their parts poses a serious risk. A clear example is the issue surrounding MCDs (Machine Control Devices) that I have previously discussed—small components used to convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic ones. The problem has reportedly become so widespread that The City of Chicago filed a complaint against Glock, one of the world’s largest firearms manufacturers, accusing them of not adequately addressing the threat posed by 3D-printed MCDs.
However, if we approach the matter more broadly, it’s not necessarily so straightforward. To benefit from these protective systems, they first need to be installed and configured. A 3D printer that is blocked from printing firearms or their components must be connected to the Print&Go system (or 3DPrinterOS when that becomes available). This setup will likely apply mainly in educational institutions, universities, or other large organizations where access to 3D printers is already restricted.
But there’s another aspect. If history has taught us anything, it’s that any restriction can be circumvented, and any limitations can be expanded. Today, it’s about gun production—what about tomorrow?
Moreover, correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t there currently no similar AI-based systems for CNC technology to block the production of unauthorized or illegal gun parts? And CNC machines are typically where firearms are manufactured every day.
We'll see if these projects are just PR products or something that will be developed in a further (and broader) way...
Atomic Layer from the Past:
11-10-2015: Roboze introduced the Roboze One+400—its first high-temperature 3D printer.
Atomic News & Gossips:
Xometry had great week on stock exchange, growing +35% in value. Company recorded very positive quorter, increasing its revenue +19%, year over year, to record levels.
On the other hand, the value of Nano Dimension and Desktop Metal has dropped, while Markforged stayed still (meaning low).
Just today, Marc Ludwig announced that he has taken on a new position—since November, he has been serving as CFO Germany at Conscia, Europe’s leading IT specialists in networks, cybersecurity, and cloud. Who is Marc Ludwig? Well, for the past 10 years, he held the position of CFO at Stratasys in Germany (where Stratasys has its European headquarters). Interesting, isn’t it...?
“The great body of our citizens shoot less as times goes on. We should encourage rifle practice among schoolboys, and indeed among all classes, as well as in the military services by every means in our power. Thus, and not otherwise, may we be able to assist in preserving peace in the world... The first step – in the direction of preparation to avert war if possible, and to be fit for war if it should come – is to teach men to shoot!”
― Theodore Roosevelt
History of the Civilian Marksmanship Program
The CMP traces its direct lineage to 1903 when Congress and President Theodore Roosevelt established the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice (NBPRP) and the National Matches. From then until 1996, first the Department of War and later the Department of the Army managed the program that became known as the Civilian Marksmanship Program. During this period, program objectives shifted from military marksmanship to training civilians who might serve in the military to developing youth through marksmanship training. In 1996, Congress acted again to establish the Corporation for the Promotion of Rifle Practice and Firearm Safety that now governs the CMP.
In addition to being a lead organization in the annual conduct of the National Matches, the CMP is the national governing body for several shooting sport disciplines that include Service Rifle and Pistol, As-Issued Military Rifle, Rimfire Sporter and National Match Air Rifle. The CMP provides competition rules and sanctioning services for events in each of these disciplines. It now sanctions over one thousand local and regional competitions a year in these disciplines. The CMP pioneered in developing its Competition Tracker system that applies computer and Internet technology to manage its database of competitors and manage competitions. Competition Tracker was the first such system in the world to support the live posting of competition results on the Internet. The CMP is also the custodian of the Distinguished Badge program that was initiated by the U. S. Army in 1884. Since Distinguished Badges are awards inaugurated by the U. S. Government, they are especially prestigious and coveted.
CMP MISSION
The federal law enacted in 1996 (Title 36 U. S. Code, 40701-40733) that created the Corporation for the Promotion of Rifle Practice and Firearms Safety, Inc. (CPRPFS, the formal legal name of the CMP) mandates these key “functions for the corporation:
1. To instruct citizens of the United States in marksmanship;
2. To promote practice and safety in the use of firearms;
3, To conduct competitions in the use of firearms and to award trophies, prizes, badges, and other insignia to competitors.
The law specifically states: In carrying out the Civilian Marksmanship Program, the corporation shall give priority to activities that benefit firearms safety, training, and competition for youth and that reach as many youth participants as possible.
For more on the Civilian Marksmanship Program visit: https://thecmp.org/about/
“Let us hope our weapons are never needed – but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government – and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws.”
Edward Abbey
“Nowhere else in the Constitution does a 'right' attributed to 'the people' refer to anything other than an individual right. What is more, in all six other provisions of the Constitution that mention 'the people,' the term unambiguously refers to all members of the political community, not an unspecified subset...The Second Amendment extends, prima facie, to all instruments that constitute bearable arms...The very text of the Second Amendment implicitly recognizes the pre-existence of the right and declares only that it ‘shall not be infringed.'”
Antonin Scalia, U.S. Supreme Court Justice
“Nowhere else in the Constitution does a ‘right’ attributed to ‘the people’ refer to anything other than an individual right.”
Justice Antonin Scalia, District of Columbia v. Heller
“[T]he enshrinement of constitutional rights necessarily takes certain policy choices off the table. These include the absolute prohibition of handguns held and used for self-defense in the home. Undoubtedly some think that the Second Amendment is outmoded in a society where our standing army is the pride of our Nation, where well-trained police forces provide personal security, and where gun violence is a serious problem. That is perhaps debatable, but what is not debatable is that it is not the role of this Court to pronounce the Second Amendment extinct.”
Justice Antonin Scalia, District of Columbia v. Heller
“By calling attention to a well-regulated militia for the security of the Nation, and the right of each citizen to keep and bear arms, our founding fathers recognized the essentially civilian nature of our economy. Although it is extremely unlikely that the fear of governmental tyranny, which gave rise to the 2nd amendment, will ever be a major danger to our Nation, the amendment still remains an important declaration of our basic military-civilian relationship, in which every citizen must be ready to participate in the defense of his country. For that reason I believe the 2nd Amendment will always be important.” John F. Kennedy