3D Printed LEGO: Key Considerations You Need to Know

LEGO has always been synonymous with creativity and fun, and the customization and convenience of 3D printing are also loved by many model enthusiasts. With the rise in LEGO prices and the continuous improvement of 3D printing technology, a question arises: "Can we print our own LEGO bricks?" This article will explore the aspects that need to be considered for 3D printing LEGO, including material selection, production process comparison, and potential legal issues.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/lego/comments/9713u2/first_attempt_at_3d_printing_lego_pieces_the/

Material selection for 3d printed LEGO

ABS is considered to be the most suitable material for 3D printing LEGO, mainly because of its excellent strength and toughness. ABS material can withstand the collision and pressure in daily use, making the printed building blocks more stable and not easy to break. In addition, ABS's high temperature resistance makes it difficult to deform or soften in high temperature environments, ensuring that the building blocks can still maintain their structural integrity under direct sunlight.

Another important factor is the consistency of ABS with LEGO's official materials, which ensures that the printed building blocks are closest to the original LEGO building blocks in color, texture and size. This consistency is conducive to users splicing ABS-printed building blocks with existing LEGO products, improving the user experience. In addition, ABS also has good post-processing capabilities, and can obtain a smoother surface effect through chemical fumigation, further improving the appearance quality.

Injection molding and 3D printing

The comparison between these two processes has been discussed many times before. For LEGO officials, through injection molding technology, high-quality molds can quickly produce a large number of high-quality parts with extremely low tolerances. At present, 3D printing is not used as an official product line to produce LEGO bricks.

In terms of precision and surface smoothness, there is a gap between 3D-printed LEGO bricks and injection-molded bricks. The high precision of injection molding allows ABS LEGO bricks to reach a precision of 10 microns or higher, a standard that is difficult to achieve even with the most advanced 3D printers. Due to the deposition method of the material during the printing process, the surface of the 3D-printed bricks often has obvious layer lines, which affects the overall clutch force, making it difficult to splice as tightly as the original LEGO, and even causing some parts to not be fully assembled, which may affect the overall quality and feel of the parts, making 3D-printed LEGO slightly inferior in assembly and operation experience.

Source:https://blog.prusa3d.com/how-to-make-3d-printed-lego-and-lego-duplo-parts_31741/

Although 3D printed LEGO bricks are not as accurate and surface-quality as injection molding, they can still enhance the LEGO experience, especially for users with high creative and personalized needs. 3D printing allows users to design shapes, colors, and functional parts that are different from the official LEGO series. For example, users can 3D print custom bricks with special grooves, curves, or unique connections, or even create new themes and accessories. For LEGO fans who need personalized design, 3D printing provides a wealth of DIY possibilities. For situations where official bricks or rare accessories cannot be found, 3D printing can provide alternatives to help users obtain replacement parts or produce discontinued LEGO parts.

Legal risks of 3D printed LEGO

In order to protect market control, LEGO officials sent infringement notices to many 3D file-sharing websites in 2019, requesting that LEGO-related files be removed from the shelves. At the same time, LEGO's press officer stated that "hundreds of thousands of measures are taken every year to protect LEGO trademarks and hundreds of other intellectual property rights", but now on the model website, you will find that some LEGO-related 3D printing projects still exist.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/lego/comments/7o61ub/3d_printed_lego_scale_minigun/

LEGO's brand name, logo, and classic LEGO look are protected by trademark law. If the LEGO logo or an obviously imitated design is used for sales or promotion during the 3D printing process, it may be considered trademark infringement. LEGO's classic building block design and unique splicing structure were once protected by patents. Although these early patents have expired, LEGO continues to apply for new patents to protect its innovative designs. If 3D printing involves LEGO's newly released designs and unique splicing structures, it may touch upon patent rights, especially when these designs are sold or promoted publicly.

Overall, 3D printing for personal non-commercial purposes is usually less risky, but if it involves brands, patents, or specific copyrighted images, especially commercial sales, you need to be extra cautious to avoid infringing LEGO's intellectual property rights.

3D printing provides LEGO enthusiasts with the freedom to create unique and personalized building blocks, enriching the building experience. However, it is still challenging to achieve the same precision and quality as official LEGO bricks. At JLC3DP, we provide high-quality materials and services, whether you are looking for LEGO-related replacement parts or exploring unique designs, JLC3DP will fully support you.