Three-dimensional design and manufacturing systems

A printing system for printing a three-dimensional article from a 3D design file describing a three-dimensional (3D) design, the system comprising:

• a receiver for receiving the 3D design file in encrypted format, the 3D design file comprising a unique design file identifier and a unique 3D printer identifier identifying a 3D printer capable of printing a three-dimensional article in accordance with the 3D design file;
• a constructing module for constructing an authentication request for authenticating use of the design file with the 3D printer specified by the 3D printer identifier, the request including the unique design file identifier and the unique 3D printer identifier;
• a transmitter for transmitting the authentication request to an authentication server;
• the receiver being arranged to receive an authentication response from the authentication server, the response enabling printing of the article from the 3D design file on the specified 3D printer, the response comprising a decryption key arranged to decrypt the encrypted 3D design file;
• a decryption module arranged to use the decryption key to decrypt the received encrypted 3D design file, and sending the decrypted 3D design file to the 3D printer associated with the unique 3D printer identifier;
• and
• a 3D printer arranged to print the article in accordance with the decrypted 3D design file.

A computer-implemented method of authenticating the printing of a three-dimensional (3D) article at a 3D printer according to a 3D print file describing a three-dimensional design, the method comprising:

• receiving at an authentication server an authentication request from a 3D print server that is associated with the 3D printer, the request comprising a unique design identifier associated with a 3D design file and a unique 3D printer identifier associated with a 3D printer, the received unique 3D design identifier being related to the received 3D printer identifier in accordance with a first relationship;
• using, at the authentication server, at least one of the received unique identifiers to access a verifying 3D design identifier and a verifying 3D printer identifier, the verifying identifiers being related to each other in accordance with a second relationship;
• comparing, at the authentication server, the first and second relationships between the received and verifying identifiers;
• generating, at the authentication server, an authentication signal if the first relationship corresponds with the second relationship;
• obtaining, using the authentication server, a decryption key associated with the received identifiers in response to the authentication signal;
• and
• transferring the decryption key, from the authentication server, to the 3D print server to authenticate and enable the printing of the 3D article on the 3D printer.

An authentication server for authenticating the printing of a three-dimensional (3D) article at a 3D printer according to a 3D print file describing a three-dimensional design, the authentication server comprising:

• a receiver for receiving an authentication request from a 3D print server that is associated with the 3D printer, the request comprising a unique design identifier associated with a 3D design file and a unique 3D printer identifier associated with a 3D printer, the received unique 3D design identifier being related to the received 3D printer identifier in accordance with a first relationship;
• a verifying module for using at least one of the received unique identifiers to access a verifying 3D design identifier and a verifying 3D printer identifier, the verifying identifiers being related to each other in accordance with a second relationship;
• the verifying module being arranged to compare the first and second relationships between the received and verifying identifiers and to generate an authentication signal if the first relationship corresponds with the second relationship;
• a decryption module arranged to obtain a decryption key associated with the received identifiers in response to the authentication signal;
• and
• a transmitter arranged to transmit the decryption key to the 3D print server to authenticate and enable the printing of the 3D article on the 3D printer.

A controlled system for printing a three-dimensional article according to a 3D design file describing a three-dimensional (3D) design, the controlled system comprising a printing system and an authentication server, the printing system comprising:

• a receiver for receiving the 3D design file in encrypted format, the 3D design file comprising a unique design file identifier and a unique 3D printer identifier identifying a 3D printer capable of printing a three-dimensional article in accordance with the 3D design file;
• a constructing module for constructing an authentication request for authenticating use of the design file with the 3D printer specified by the 3D printer identifier, the request including the unique design file identifier and the unique 3D printer identifier;
• a transmitter for transmitting the authentication request to the authentication server;
• the receiver being arranged to receive an authentication response from the authentication server, the response enabling printing of the article from the 3D design file on the specified 3D printer, the response comprising a decryption key arranged to decrypt the encrypted 3D design file;
• a decryption module arranged to use the decryption key to decrypt the received encrypted 3D design file, and sending the decrypted 3D design file to the 3D printer associated with the unique 3D printer identifier;
• a 3D printer arranged to print the article in accordance with the decrypted 3D design file;
• and wherein
• the authentication server comprises:
• a receiver for receiving the authentication request from the printing system, the request comprising the unique design file identifier associated with the 3D design file and the unique 3D printer identifier associated with the 3D printer, the received unique 3D design identifier being related to the received 3D printer identifier in accordance with a first relationship;
• a verifying module for using at least one of the received unique identifiers to access a verifying 3D design identifier and a verifying 3D printer identifier, the verifying identifiers being related to each other in accordance with a second relationship;
• the verifying module being arranged to compare the first and second relationships between the received and verifying identifiers and to generate an authentication signal if the first relationship corresponds with the second relationship;
• a decryption module arranged to obtain a decryption key associated with the received identifiers in response to the authentication signal;
• and
• a transmitter arranged to transmit the decryption key to the printing system to authenticate and enable the printing of the 3D article on the 3D printer.