Watermark 3D – securing 3D models with a watermark – now also in full color

The issue of copyrights to all sorts of creations – from the written word, through audio and video, to graphics and software, is something that for many people is still quite abstract and incomprehensible. The common awareness that something is available on the Internet for free – whether to view or download – means that it can be freely used and processed for your own purposes and needs. This is clearly untrue and is subject to strictly defined legal rules. For breaking someone’s copyright, you can get a fine, and in extreme cases you can even be deprived of freedom for a while…

In the world of 3D printing, the issue of copyrights to 3D designs is particularly anarchic. Thanks to platforms with free 3D printing models such as Thingiverse, Cults3D, MyMiniFactory and Printables, people have access to millions of files that they download and print on their own 3D printers. The vast majority of these 3D models are offered under a Creative Commons license, but with the “no-commercial” attribute, which means that a person who downloaded such a file can print it for their own needs, but cannot resell it or earn money in any way. him money. Unfortunately, this is not a particularly respected thing and often results from ignorance of such limitations.

The problem of “3D piracy” is so far a very niche and few people actually think about it, but there are people who want their work to be protected in some way – or at least it would be possible to enforce legal liability in the event of a discovery unauthorized use of their 3D models by third parties. One solution is the service of marking 3D files with a digital watermark – Watermark 3D.

The software is developed by the American company Treatstock. With it, you can place a watermark in a file that is hidden and does not interfere with the geometry or mesh of the model. The solution allows creators to sign their models as well as check other files for the presence of existing signatures. The watermark can only be detected when the file is uploaded to Watermark 3D and the appropriate password is generated. As Treatstock officials say, their watermarks are nearly impossible to detect or duplicate.

Watermark 3D is free for personal use with a limit of 10 watermarks per day. There is also an option for companies in the form of purchasing a commercial subscription. Initially, watermarking was only available for .STL extensions, however a recent update added three new formats – OBJ, GLB, and DAE / Collada, allowing you to mark 3D models in full color. The update is currently in testing phase – Treatstock encourages users to try out the updated version and provide feedback.

Source: www.watermark3d.com via www.3dprintingmedia.network