3D Printers Have 'Fingerprints', a Discovery That Could Help Trace 3D-Printed Guns: Study (sciencedaily.com)

Like fingerprints, no 3D printer is exactly the same. That's the takeaway from a new University at Buffalo-led study that describes what's believed to be the first accurate method for tracing a 3D-printed object to the machine it came from. From the study: The advancement, which the research team calls "PrinTracker," could ultimately help law enforcement and intelligence agencies track the origin of 3D-printed guns, counterfeit products and other goods. "3D printing has many wonderful uses, but it's also a counterfeiter's dream. Even more concerning, it has the potential to make firearms more readily available to people who are not allowed to possess them," says the study's lead author Wenyao Xu, PhD, associate professor of computer science and engineering in UB's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

[...] To understand the method, it's helpful to know how 3D printers work. Like a common inkjet printer, 3D printers move back-and-forth while "printing" an object. Instead of ink, a nozzle discharges a filament, such as plastic, in layers until a three-dimensional object forms. Each layer of a 3D-printed object contains tiny wrinkles -- usually measured in submillimeters -- called in-fill patterns. These patterns are supposed to be uniform. However, the printer's model type, filament, nozzle size and other factors cause slight imperfections in the patterns. The result is an object that does not match its design plan.

Comments

Easy work-around

[XxtraLarGe]

Clean the inside of the nozzle with a metal brush after each print. The micro-scratches it creates should throw it off enough that you can't ID it.

Re:Easy work-around

[oic0]

Or throw the nozzle away after each one, they're dirt cheap. While youre at it, adjust the acceleration settings to make sure they dont try to trace you from the wobble.... Not that it matters. The things are terrible guns lol. A mini crossbow from amazon is probably better.

Re:Easy work-around

[iggymanz]

I still fail to see why anyone would want a 3D printed barrel (unless it came out of one of those machines the aerospace company uses that made strong metal parts)

rifling a barrel isn't hard, you can buy the broach or button online legally. just like you can make a gun legally in these United States.

A 3D printed receiver I could see being useful...

Re:Easy work-around

[HornWumpus]

Because it makes the gun grabbers have kittens, making them look even stupider.

Re:Easy work-around

[rogoshen1]

The 'threat' of printed guns is being trotted out entirely for political purposes. It's not a real, credible threat or risk to anyone.

Basically the gun-control folks are trying to come up with a new bogeyman to further their agenda.

OR its a ploy by the big machining lobby to eventually ban personal ownership of CNC machines to further solidify their market position.

See; first they trump up the possibility of every tom, dick and harry (who are most likely white supremacists living in an anti-government compound somewhere in eastern Oregon) to manufacture their own weapons. So, the government must step in and do the reasonable thing to protect the populace: Ban distribution of blueprints for these nefarious plastic weapons; and as a corollary -- ban 3d printers. As it was was already proven, we'd have an influx of TERRIBLY LETHAL ASSAULT style GUNS on our streets without these safeguards.

Then, with the public's eye thusly captivated, the machining lobby will strike, achieving their ultimate aim! Which goes something like:

"But wait! If they can manufacture guns via 3d printers, SURELY they can manufacture guns very simply using decades old machinery and steel. These weapons might just be even more potent and lethal than the extruded plastic ones we were just saved from!"

Re:Easy work-around

[drinkypoo]

Clean the inside of the nozzle with a metal brush after each print. The micro-scratches it creates should throw it off enough that you can't ID it.

The filament is getting melted as it passes through the nozzle. Liquid is being deposited, ideally at just the right temperature to fuse with the surrounding material yet also to solidify quickly. But alignment of one layer to the next and the precise fusion with the lower materials (according to TFS) are still traceable from printer to printer. However, those details are easily altered. They are the combination of the printer's physical characteristics, and the setup used. They will differ for different types of filament, and different environmental conditions, but you could also vary them deliberately. Since most printers seem to auto-level these days, you could go so far as to tamper with the physical alignment between prints. And obviously, you could make slight changes to the feed rate and temperatures which would also change the fingerprint.

Re:Easy work-around

[DaHat]

Because you don't understand the underlying issue at hand.

This is the best write-up I've seen as to the reasoning: https://www.wired.com/story/de...

Re:Easy work-around

[harrkev]

You have obviously never been to a gun show. With a pocket full of cash, you can easily get everything that isn't a legal gun without any paperwork at all. Uppers, lower parts kits, sights, furniture, etc. is all easily available.

Re:Easy work-around

[infolation]

That's assuming 3D printers don't have an equivalent of the machine identification code that laser and inkjet printers have.

Oh noes

[PPH]

Even more concerning, it has the potential to make firearms more readily available to people who are not allowed to possess them

So does the plumbing section at Home Depot. Faster and cheaper than 3D printing as well. 3D printed guns are really only proof of concept to demonstrate how stupid gun control laws are. Anyone actually needing one can make a zip gun that has an order of magnitude lower probability of blowing up from a scrap pile.

Re:Oh noes

[ScentCone]

Try to concealed carry it though.

No 3D plastic printed gun that won't blow up in your face is smaller or more suitable to CC than is a brick. Because ... plastic. Hardware store parts include things like ... actual metal. A reliable, lethal one can be home-brewed and still remain much smaller and easier to conceal. Or, the criminally minded person who clearly doesn't mind breaking laws anyway could just you know, buy a gun. Legally or otherwise, as both are readily available to criminals who are willing to lie or otherwise do illegal things.

Re:Oh noes

[ScentCone]

Yes, it IS legally considered a gun, but you're prevented from transferring it to anyone else. You can only have it for your own use. In some places, if you're going to take if off of your own property, you'd need to serialize it (silly, but there it is). Some places may also bar you from possessing it if it has a lightweight barrel, or too many of the wrong features (because features are scary). If you want to sell it, you have to go through the federal paperwork of becoming a manufacturer - and that's a big cliff from which to jump.

There is better evidence for 3D printed guns

[GuB-42]

It should be easy to identify the blood on what's left of the gun after being shot.

Re:Who cares?

[harrkev]

Your problem is that you are using logic in what is clearly meant to be an emotional argument. "GUNZ" should trigger everybody to want more laws without even bothering to think rationally.