Honda takes action against 3D printer artwork

Nowadays, 3D printers enable the replication of various devices. Even the automotive industry is no longer immune to resourceful inventors. It seems that more and more car owners no longer rely on high-priced original parts. Instead, they are turning to inexpensive replicas that can be produced using home 3D printers. Honda is now fighting back against this increasingly widespread supply.

Warnings against several websites

Honda is apparently a big thorn in the side of the 3D printer economy. The company no longer wants to put up with websites that can serve up customized instructions for rebuilding. At least when it comes to spare parts for its own vehicles. These are offered in various portals quite simply for “self-printing”. As the experts from “The Drive” report, the manufacturer has issued warnings to many different websites with suitable instructions. And obviously, the operators of the portals did not want to make too big a fuss about it. Finally, they complied with the warning and removed the downloads.

Various parts affected

Given the range of parts that could be downloaded as print templates, one can certainly understand Honda’s frustration. Of course, no large body parts were affected, but rather smaller gadgets. In particular, small parts such as housings for car keys or brackets for speakers could be produced easily and cheaply. Well-known manufacturers of 3D printers such as Prusa are also affected. The company confirmed at the request of “The Drive” that all templates relating to Honda vehicles had been removed from the website.

Honda takes a different approach

However, the warnings from Honda have once again come to the attention of users of the gigantic Reddit community. They were also the ones who clarified that several websites are affected at once. An employee of Prusa is said to have announced that Honda has also issued warnings to other providers of printables. It seems that not every car manufacturer is bothered by the fact that such templates are circulating. The traditional company Ford even wants to ensure that the owners of its own vehicles are provided with the appropriate templates. This mainly involves small parts for greater comfort, such as cup holders. This seems to be the better way to get closer to the customer.