3D printers have ‘fingerprints,’ a discovery that could help trace 3D-printed guns, counterfeit goods
Photo illustration of how the technology works. Credit: Wenyao Xu, University at Buffalo.
Posted on 10/20/2018 12:27:29 PM PDT by LibWhacker
Photo illustration of how the technology works. Credit: Wenyao Xu, University at Buffalo.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Like fingerprints, no 3D printer is exactly the same.
That’s the takeaway from a new University at Buffalo-led studyDownload pdf that describes what’s believed to be the first accurate method for tracing a 3D-printed object to the machine it came from.
The advancement, which the research team calls “PrinTracker,” could ultimately help law enforcement and intelligence agencies track the origin of 3D-printed guns, counterfeit products and other goods.
“3D printing has many wonderful uses, but it’s also a counterfeiter’s dream. Even more concerning, it has the potential to make firearms more readily available to people who are not allowed to possess them,” says the study’s lead author Wenyao Xu, PhD, associate professor of computer science and engineering in UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
The study will be presented in Toronto at the Association for Computing Machinery’s Conference on Computer and Communications Security, which runs from Oct. 15-19. It includes coauthors from Rutgers University and Northeastern University.
To understand the method, it’s helpful to know how 3D printers work. Like a common inkjet printer, 3D printers move back-and-forth while “printing” an object. Instead of ink, a nozzle discharges a filament, such as plastic, in layers until a three-dimensional object forms.
Each layer of a 3D-printed object contains tiny wrinkles — usually measured in submillimeters — called in-fill patterns. These patterns are supposed to be uniform. However, the printer’s model type, filament, nozzle size and other factors cause slight imperfections in the patterns. The result is an object that does not match its design plan.
For example, the printer is ordered to create an object with half-millimeter in-fill patterns. But the actual object has patterns that vary 5 to 10 percent from the design plan. Like a fingerprint to a person, these patterns are unique and repeatable. As a result, they can be traced back to the 3D printer.
“3D printers are built to be the same. But there are slight variations in their hardware created during the manufacturing process that lead to unique, inevitable and unchangeable patterns in every object they print,” Xu says.
To test PrinTracker, the research team created five door keys each from 14 common 3D printers — 10 fused deposition modeling (FDM) printers and four stereolithography (SLA) printers.
With a common scanner, the researchers created digital images of each key. From there, they enhanced and filtered each image, identifying elements of the in-fill pattern. They then developed an algorithm to align and calculate the variations of each key to verify the authenticity of the fingerprint.
Having created a fingerprint database of the 14 3D printers, the researchers were able to match the key to its printer 99.8 percent of the time. They ran a separate series of tests 10 months later to determine if additional use of the printers would affect PrinTracker’s ability to match objects to their machine of origin. The results were the same.
The team also ran experiments involving keys damaged in various ways to obscure their identity. PrinTracker was 92 percent accurate in these tests.
Xu likens the technology to the ability to identify the source of paper documents, a practice used by law enforcement agencies, printer companies and other organizations for decades. While the experiments did not involve counterfeit goods or firearms, Xu says PrinTracker can be used to trace any 3D-printed object to its printer.
“We’ve demonstrated that PrinTracker is an effective, robust and reliable way that law enforcement agencies, as well as businesses concerned about intellectual property, can trace the origin of 3D-printed goods,” Xu says.
Editors note: A previous version of this news release incorrectly identifed what FDM stands for in FDM printers.
I found it interesting that they were able to arrest the insane leftist yesterday who was threatening to kill Senators. He was using burner cell phones.
work around would be just altering the device slightly every time you make something you don’t want traced.
Traceability of a gun does not prevent crime.
Maybe instead of making a printed gun we need to consider making a cursive gun...
Options would include:
* own your own printer, never share it
* make your own printer, less traceability
* order stuff made from someone who doesn’t track customers and where files come from
“Hmmm. Don’t suppose there would be workarounds for that. Nah.”
I can think of a half dozen off the top of my head.
1. Change the room temperature.
2. Add and subtract rubber bands to gantries to pre-stress.
3. Add weights to nozzle.
4. Tilt tables.
5. Poke pin into nozzle to open up a hair.
6. Change base table damping by placing on hard surface, or rubber pad.
Etc.
How much of blast was that duckbill?
I bet Bonnie and Clyde, Baby Face Nelson and all the “Bad Guys” of the past were really concerned that there were traceable serial numbers on their guns.
That was my first thought too. Thirty minutes after they put these in or people are aware of it; it will be beat in some way.
The gun grabber worry too much and they actually think they will take billions of dollars of guns away from its US citizens before getting blown away themselves.
Without a strong 2A we’re toast anyway with nothing left to lose because we know our freedoms will be gone 10 minutes later by force of law and well armed UN soldiers or someone like that.
Without our freedoms we are nothing. Just subject slaves.
Throw the printer into 200 feet of water, or burn it in a barrel, after printing a firearm or lower (or 10) to prevent such a database from working, EVER.
ALL printers have a signature. Built right in. Send a threatening letter and the investigators can see if the doc was printed on a specific printer.
Not unless someone has a registry and sample from every printer head ever made.
L
Heck, like DNA and fingerprints, if there’s not a sample in the “system”, they still can’t identify the printer ...
I like this and hope it is true. Many people’s objections to this technological genius would no longer have the force they currently have.
It was. I’d love to build some with my grandkids in a few years; however, it appears the company no longer makes them. Maybe I’ll look into starting up a new business. I’m pretty sure it would be as much, if not more, popular today.
Hence all 3D Printers will have to be entered into the national database in the near future.
The New Orlean's Ace and the derringer were more accurate:
The pepper box and twister were a lot of fun:
The Possible Shop has a page displaying many completed kits. Wish they were still regularly available. The new rifle kits are as expensive, or more expensive, than finished rifles.
We weren't interested in heirlooms and I'm not paying that kind of cash. My dad always said, "Guns are meant to be used, and I'll be damned if I get one that I can't shoot.'
I'll add them all to my Christmas list!
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