3D printers will increasingly be used to manufacture direct production parts and finished goods in a variety of applications.
June 2, 2014
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, allows solid objects to be built from a series of layers using plastic, metal, or other materials. This technology can thereby produce sophisticated structures with greater flexibility and efficiency and less waste compared to traditional manufacturing techniques, which require longer setup times and higher material and labor costs.
Preissuance submissions are a one-chance opportunity to present prior art in such a way that an examiner will be convinced to apply the prior art to reject pending claims in a patent application.
"The preissuance submission provision in the America Invents Act aims to bring the most relevant prior art to the examiner’s attention as early as possible during prosecution to enhance examination effectiveness and efficiency,” says Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) David Kappos.
3M recently announced its Post-it® brand is sponsoring Startup Weekend, a program intended to help entrepreneurs launch their businesses in one weekend, organized by the non-profit UP Global.
