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Hello, my team and i are building products that hopefully will be patented, we would like to use the rapid prototyping of 3d printing to expedite the process. However, how can we feel secure our design doesn’t get stolen, distributed or held on the computer of the 3d hub printer? any info will be greatly apreciated

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Hey @Alphas, thanks for reaching out to Talk about this. Indeed, every Hub on our platform has agreed to our Terms of Use and I would like to point you to section 6.4 which state:

“6.4. By submitting 3D Content through the Services or Website, the User grants 3D Hubs and the Hub accepting the Order a non-exclusive, royalty free worldwide non-transferable license (i) to review the 3D Content on the basis of technical specifications (including but not limited to checking for any technical errors); and (ii) to use the 3D Content for the manufacturing of the 3D Print in order for the Hub to fulfil the Order placed by the User.”

This section covers the fact that you, the customer, only give the 3D Hubs admins and the Hub accepting the order the rights to check your 3D file to see if it’s suitable for 3D printing and the right to 3D print the model to complete the order for you. There is no specific confidential agreement in place about the contents of the model but I can assure you that the 3D Hubs admins treat your model with the utmost respect and will never use it for any other purpose.

I would also like to point out that we have never had any complaints about a Hub abusing the uploaded contents provided by a customer.

But if you would like an extra level of confidentiality you could consider asking a Hub to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement before sending in the 3D model. You can start and inquiry with a hub by going to his/her profile and clicking “Contact this Hub”.

Hope this helps.

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So the answer is no. you’re working on the honor system. Hypothetically speaking lets say your ingenious design a new and novel way of dispensing diabetes medication through your rectum has hit the market and sells millions, your telling me the hub you had sent the cad file will not then modify and or just print and sell his own because you can guarantee me all your hubs are honorable, yikes… this is not a safe website to build a business, in todays economy you need to CYA (cover your ass) and i’m sorry but i don’t feel my ass is covered at this time with 3d hubs. We hope we can do something in the future your web design is killer and i enjoy the easy of use. But from a business perspective we can move forward with out more security. thanks for your quick response and explanation.

-David