Printing technology has progressed over the last 40 years from 2D printing on various media to producing 3D articles from scratch.

Intellectual property has long been a key consideration for the digital printing industry, protecting everything from printer cartridges and refills to software-based colour mapping techniques, apparatus and the emergence of additive manufacturing.

Representing a fundamental aspect of the so-called 4th Industrial Revolution and a manufacturing technology in its own right, the scope for 3D printing is enormous, with the capacity to transform countless sectors, from bespoke prosthetics or even organs in medicine to consumer electronics.

With the power to bespokely fabricate any item that’s made with materials such as polymer, metal or even foodstuffs, additive manufacturing represents a significant shift in the types of products that can be produced. In particular, complex finished items that can be created layer-by-layer. Additive manufacturing is not restricted to the industrial environment; with advances in technology driving costs down, 3D printers are widely available for home use.

HGF’s specialist attorneys possess comprehensive experience in patent drafting and prosecution in this growing, revolutionary field of technology, securing fundamental patent rights for all key aspects of printing technology. This allows our clients to remain at the leading-edge of technology, whilst countering competition and driving further innovation.