Stratasys Sues Bambu Lab: A Turning Point for Consumer 3D Printing?

Bambu Lab Faces Lawsuit from Industry Giant

Bambu Lab, a prominent 3D printing company, is under fire after being sued by Stratasys, a major player in the 3D printing industry. Stratasys has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against six Chinese 3D printing companies in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

The defendants include:

• Shenzhen-based Bambu Lab Technology Co., Ltd., along with its three subsidiaries: BambuLab Limited (Hong Kong), Tuozhu Technology Limited (Hong Kong), and Shanghai Outline Technology Co., Ltd.
• Additionally, Beijing TierTime Technology Co., Ltd. and Beijing Yinghua Laser Rapid Prototyping & Mould Technology Co., Ltd.

Stratasys claims that these companies have illegally used several of its patented technologies, seriously infringing on its intellectual property rights.

The lawsuit against Bambu Lab alleges infringement on five specific U.S. patents:

• Patent No. 9421713
• Patent No. 9592660
• Patent No. 7555357
• Patent No. 9168698
• Patent No. 10556381

These patents cover various critical 3D printing technologies, including the use of a purge tower, build platforms for high-temperature thermoplastic materials, methods for generating build paths in extrusion-based systems, and techniques for detecting contact forces between extruders and independent structures in 3D printers.

The scope of Stratasys’ lawsuit is broad, encompassing many mainstream 3D printing technologies. This means that other companies using similar technologies could also become potential targets for Stratasys’ legal actions.

In addition to patent infringement, Stratasys alleges that Bambu Lab’s servers are located in China and have security vulnerabilities.

Stratasys is seeking the following from the court:

• Compensation for damages caused by patent infringement, including double damages as required by law.
• A permanent injunction against the defendants and their executives, agents, and employees to prevent further infringement or inducement of third parties to infringe on these patents.
• Reimbursement for legal fees and other appropriate costs and compensation.

Who is Stratasys?

Stratasys is a well-established leader in the 3D printing industry, with a strong presence dating back to 1988. The company provides innovative 3D printing solutions across various sectors, including aerospace, automotive, consumer goods, and healthcare. Stratasys went public on the NASDAQ in October 1994 and currently holds approximately 2,600 global patents.

Starting in 2011, Stratasys expanded its business through several acquisitions, mainly focusing on polymer technologies. In 2021, it acquired Xaar 3D, Origin, and RPS, adding three new polymer technologies to its portfolio. In 2022, Stratasys further expanded its polymer material range by acquiring Covestro’s AM business.

To strengthen its position in the consumer market, Stratasys acquired MakerBot, and in May 2023, it merged MakerBot with Ultimaker.

Despite its efforts, Stratasys has faced financial challenges, operating at a loss since 2020. In 2023, the company reported $626 million in revenue but suffered a net loss of $123 million. In the first quarter of 2024, Stratasys reported a loss of over $20 million, with limited capital budgets affecting customer purchases of new systems.

Struggling in the market, Stratasys has turned its attention to legal actions against competitors. Notably, this isn’t the first time Stratasys has taken legal action against a Chinese company. In 2013, it filed a similar patent infringement lawsuit against TierTime, one of the defendants in the current case.

Why Did Stratasys Sue Bambu Lab?

Bambu Lab, a rising star in the 3D printing industry, has experienced rapid growth in recent years.

Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Shenzhen, China, Bambu Lab aims to revolutionize the desktop 3D printing industry with cutting-edge robotics technology. The company has established R&D centers in Shenzhen and Shanghai and opened an office in Austin, Texas. In just three years, Bambu Lab has become a leader in its category.

In November 2022, Bambu Lab’s X1 series 3D printer was recognized as one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2022.

According to the 2023 “3D Printer Brand Influence Report” released by domestic media, four out of the top five most influential cross-border e-commerce 3D printer brands are Chinese, with Bambu Lab ranking third.

Notably, Bambu Lab was founded by a group of 3D printing enthusiasts with strong R&D backgrounds, primarily from key positions at DJI, Alibaba, ByteDance, and Marvell. The team includes top experts in mechanical design, motion control, machine vision, artificial intelligence, computational mechanics, embedded software, and cloud computing.

From its inception, Bambu Lab has been globally oriented, attracting talent from around the world and serving customers in over 60 countries and regions.

Industry insiders estimate that Bambu Lab’s monthly sales revenue exceeds 100 million RMB. According to data from EqualOcean, Bambu Lab’s revenue is expected to reach 1.5 billion RMB in 2023.

Bambu Lab’s rapid business expansion has made Stratasys feel threatened in the market. Additionally, the Chinese 3D printing industry has entered a period of rapid growth. In the first half of 2024, China’s 3D printing equipment exports reached 1.829 million units, a 40.29% increase compared to the same period last year. Besides Bambu Lab, several other Chinese 3D printing companies are also making their mark in overseas markets.

Stratasys’ patent infringement lawsuit against six Chinese 3D printing companies will be challenging to resolve. Similar cases have occurred in the past, where a U.S. 3D printing company sued a Chinese 3D printing company for infringement, leading to a multi-million RMB settlement and the company’s complete withdrawal from the U.S. market.

If these Chinese companies lose the lawsuit, the repercussions could be significant. Stratasys might continue to sue other companies using similar technologies, directly impacting their product sales in North America. However, if Bambu Lab wins, it could lead to a major shift in the 3D printing industry.

How Bambu Lab will respond to Stratasys’ lawsuit remains to be seen, and we will continue to follow this story closely.