3D Printing and Fraud

People commit fraud all the time, so why give someone an opportunity to do so? However 3D printers allow sketched out blueprints to become 3D objects. A 3D printer allows the designer to design an object of any choice, such as a pen or maybe even a box. According to the article 3D Printers, Evasive Entrepreneurs, and the Future of Tech Regulation, there are hardly any regulations when dealing with a 3D printer. If there is a 3D printer being used in a home, there aren’t any regulations to what a user can print. With a blueprint anyone can print whatever is sketched out, and the object would come out the exact same. 3D printing has the potential to be dangerous, and should be banned, due to printing dangerous products, counterfeit objects, and illegal objects/products people can sell.

Starting with, 3D printers are harmful to our population and environment. With little regulations on 3D printers, allows people all over the world easy access to printing dangerous products/objects. As an example in the article “Proliferation of Cheap 3-D Printers Raises Security Concerns.” by Stew Magnuson, it says “When a man in may demonstrated that he could build a plastic gun from a 3-D printer and fire at least one shot from the homemade device, the story sent off alarm bells on Capitol Hill.” (14). Just by reading that short section from the article shows how harmful 3D printers can be to our population, because by being able to print off dangerous objects that easily puts everyone around us at harm. Not only does printing certain objects put others at harm, but printing could also put that individual at harm also.

Philip Ball says in the article “Material Witness: The Complex Cost of Faking it.” that, “The company hopes to reduce rhino poaching by providing a synthetic alternative that, by some accounts, is virtually indistinguishable in composition, appearance and smell from the real thing.” (660). Therefore 3D printing would be just as easy for anyone else to print something off that’s completely fake and act as the object/product is completely real. For example, anyone could easily print fake money and go buy something from a store, and most likely there would be zero suspension from the cashier. By printing out fake money could cause many different problems, such as, buying something very valuable and expensive from someone with that fake, would not only put a huge damper on whoever’s they bought from, but also the person who used the fake money, because that’s considered fraud, which would end with jail time. Also, 3D printing gives anyone the opportunity to print identical to a blueprint. Due to being able to print identical objects, it could lead to selling fake objects for more than they’re worth.

Finally, 3D printing makes taking illegal substances and objects as easy as baking a cake. In the article “Application of Three- Dimensional Printing for Colon Targeted Drug Delivery System”, by Nitin B Eharbe, says “Khaled et al. used 3D extrusion printing technique to prepare five-in-one dose combination polypill with well – defined immediate release (IR) and sustained release (SR) profiles.” (5). By reading that sentence from the article, just goes to show that if anyone really wants any illegal substance bad enough, that it’s possible for anyone to get the illegal product such as dangerous drugs, etc. Therefore printing illegal products is just one google search away, and just like that the printing formula is in someone’s hands. Not long after someone printing an illegal substance, could affect or harm whoever the drug is passed to. 3D printers make drug intake an easier process than what it already is.

However, 3D printing does an outstanding job for big and even small businesses, such as, good quality products, less equipment having to be bought, etc. But all in all the cons about a 3D printer outweigh the good. 3-Dimensional printers bring harm to more of our population than anyone can count on two hands. 3D printers could also affect business, because there could be copyright problems, which could put a huge pause on a project that could’ve been huge. Also, if one thing messes up with the printing process, it could affect the whole business as a whole no matter if the problem is small or big. Therefore 3D printers do more harm to the business than any good.

In conclusion, People commit Fraud daily. Why give anyone an open opportunity by handing anyone a product that will help them commit fraud. Due to printing dangerous products, counterfeit objects, and illegal objects/products people can sell, just goes to show how dangerous 3D printers can be to our surroundings and others. 3D printers Over all 3D printing has the potential to be dangerous, and should be banned.