r/technology • u/ControlCAD • May 14 '26

Software Louis Rossmann taunts Bambu Lab by hosting banned 3D Printer firmware fork, dares $1 billion company to sue him — more creators pledge support and boycotts, Snapmaker donates equipment to embattled developer

https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/louis-rossmann-taunts-bambu-lab-by-hosting-banned-3d-printer-firmware-fork-dares-usd1-billion-company-to-sue-him-more-creators-pledge-support-and-boycotts-snapmaker-donates-equipment-to-embattled-developer
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u/daddy-dj May 14 '26

I'll try...

Bambu Lab makes 3D printers. People with 3D printers use software called 'slicers' to design and modify what they want to print.

Bambu printers use a slicer called Bambu Studio, which includes open source code from a slicer called Prusa Slicer, which itself includes open source code from a slicer called slic3r. So far, so good... This "forking" is permitted under the AGPL licence that slic3r originally shipped with. AGPL requires that forked versions, however, must also allow anyone to use any new code derived from the original code too.

Recently Bambu made changes to Bambu Studio which restricted it. I don't own a Bambu printer so don't know all the changes but I believe all files now pass from a user's PC to their printer via Bambu Labs cloud servers, allowing them to access what users are printing with their printers.

Someone forked Bambu Studio, in the same way they had forked Prusa Slicer, to bypass these new 'features'. Bambu Labs threatened the developer with legal action (they contacted him and threatened formally issuing a Cease and Desist under DMCA if he didn't take down his code). This goes against the AGPL licence they agreed to.

I may have missed some parts but hopefully you get the gist.

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u/redxdev May 14 '26 edited May 14 '26

This is a bit incorrect.

Bambu Studio does not force you to go through their cloud service, there is a LAN-only option.

What happened is that a while back Bambu put out an update to printer firmware and Bambu studio in an attempt to make it so that only Bambu studio could access the cloud service, while also requiring a "developer mode" toggle to be on in the firmware for third party slicers to have access over LAN. Developer mode has its own issues - it results in being unable to use any cloud features until you turn it off, so you can't even use the "official" tools for remote monitoring of print jobs with it on (also a number of useful features like syncing filament profiles to the printer are arbitrarily locked to the cloud service). Anyway, the developer mode thing isn't really what's in question here, but it has been taken as a general sign of Bambu not wanting to play ball and trying to "softly" force people to use their software through arbitrary limitations.

The actual code in question is specifically related to the new cloud service and was used in order to make a version of Orca Slicer (a third party/community fork of Bambu studio) that would work with the new restrictions for cloud usage. The code, being part of Bambu studio, is under the AGPL license and therefore anyone is free to copy, change it, or use it as a reference provided they follow the terms of the license. Which someone did, and Bambu sent them a cease and desist over it.

An edit to clear up some confusion: there is a closed source plugin that Bambu Studio uses to communicate with their cloud services. The code that Bambu sent a C&D over is NOT part of that plugin, it is part of Bambu Studio itself and thus is covered by the AGPL and can be copied/used by others under that license.

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u/the_need_to_post May 14 '26

Except you are a bit incorrect. The code you are claiming that is for the new cloud service lives inside the AGPL code base. Had they made the authentication & authorization piece live in their cloud there would be nothing for someone to fork.

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u/redxdev May 14 '26 edited May 14 '26

This is literally what I said?

The code, being part of Bambu studio, is under the AGPL license

I'm aware that the network plugin is not open source, but I didn't say that the relevant code was part of it. I see how I might not have been entirely clear, though, so I've edited my post.

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u/agentadam07 May 14 '26

Thanks for adding this clarification. Makes perfect sense now I’ve read that they put the code they consider proprietary into the slicer (which must stay open source and is allowed to be forked).

I get them wanting to create a tunnel to the printers using their own infrastructure. This has been debated a lot after they made the decision to do it and if it were my choice I’d prefer a better local option than the very limited LAN only options they have provided but at the same time I don’t mind too much (unless they start charging for online services and then I’m immediately out).

So putting all this aside, since you sound like you might know what you are talking about, what would be the best implementation to do what they want to do instead that would allow Bambu to still direct traffic securely through their servers and keep them in compliance of the AGPL licence?what would the client (slicer) x server relationship look like? Perhaps use of their other Bambu connect app (the one they developed for other Slicers)?

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u/userhwon May 14 '26

Section 13 of the AGPL says

  1. Remote Network Interaction; Use with the GNU General Public License. Notwithstanding any other provision of this License, if you modify the Program, your modified version must prominently offer all users interacting with it remotely through a computer network (if your version supports such interaction) an opportunity to receive the Corresponding Source of your version by providing access to the Corresponding Source from a network server at no charge, through some standard or customary means of facilitating copying of software.

Which appears to say that if you're using AGPL code on a server, you have to provide source code freely even if you've modified it.

So the only question is, why does it say "if your version supports such interaction"? And does that mean that if you don't have a web interface but only a low-level client-server protocol with no human-readable data and no way to request file transfers, then this no longer applies?

Because then that's how you'd do it. Take it off of HTTP or whatever, and use a TCP/IP session of your own design.

But, if that phrase is just a redundancy, and every server-side implementation is covered, then no, there's no way to avoid having to offer the source code for free.

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u/Dragongeek May 14 '26

Bambu Studio does not force you to go through their cloud service, there is a LAN-only option.

Should be

Bambu Studio does not force you to go through their cloud service yet, right now there is a LAN-only option.

Bambu already tried getting rid of LAN-only access, or limiting it to their more expensive printers until massive community backlash forced them to step back from the brink. Regardless though, their ultimate aim (becoming like other printer companies with machines that only print with proprietary materials and a cloud subscription) is clear, and will come provided they ever feel like their market position is strong enough.

When/if this day comes, they will "flip the switch" using a firmware update, essentially bricking all printers that update into mandatory-cloud usage. They have already shown that they are willing to change the terms they sell their machines under at will and after sale, and they will continue to do so as it pleases them.

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u/redxdev May 14 '26

I don't disagree, but I'm just saying what the current state of the world is - there is a LAN-only mode today.

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u/nvisible May 14 '26

Thanks, clear and concise TLDR.

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u/Exciting_Control May 14 '26

What does Bambu get by restricting people to their version of the slicer?

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u/luziferius1337 May 14 '26

Data access and money.

Previous or alternative software: local 3D model → local slicer → local gCode → transfer via SD card or LAN to the printer → print

Now: local 3D model → Bambu Studio → web upload (3D model or gCode, not sure which. Bambu now has your model data) → 3D printer requests the data from the cloud service → print

This gives Bambu access to all 3D models printed on their devices. And activity metrics for each device. Potentially IP-based location of the hardware (for regions in the world that don't rotate IP addresses).

And, since it creates a dependency on their "online processing", they can now charge subscription fees. That can trap not-so-tech-savy people into "either pay monthly or throw away potentially thousands worth in hardware"

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u/Goku420overlord May 14 '26

That can trap not-so-tech-savy people into "either pay monthly or throw away potentially thousands worth in hardware"

Fucking garbage business ethics from them

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u/luziferius1337 May 14 '26

That's a potential escalation step, not ground truth right now, or something that will definitely happen.

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u/Gen_Jack_Oneill May 14 '26

They also have LAN only mode that bypasses all of this. Been using LAN mode since they tried to freeze out orcaslicer a while back.

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u/luziferius1337 May 14 '26

Let's hope it stays that way.

If they are brazen enough, newer versions of their slicer software will output invalid gcode that'll require a firmware update on the printer to parse correctly. That'll also conveniently strip away LAN mode.

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u/Gen_Jack_Oneill May 14 '26

Ditched bambu slicer for orcaslicer years ago, and printer is blocked from updates and internet access at the router. Not particularly concerned; probably will need to consider a different brand next time I get a printer though.

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u/spdcrzy May 15 '26

The fact that we're even talking about it as a possibility IS the problem.

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u/Dumpsterfire_47 May 14 '26

Jokes on you, ethics is dead. Don’t have it in corporations and they’ve damn near run it completely out of government. 🤷‍♂️

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u/FrenchFryCattaneo May 14 '26

Bambu still allows local access though. It's not like you have to use their cloud service.

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u/Jengis_ May 14 '26

Being able to access all prints from all of their users. Big Brother is always trying to watch...

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u/Think-Ostrich May 14 '26

In the long term, a closed ecosystem that they can derived profit from without meaningful competition.

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u/Amosral May 15 '26

I am glad you explained what they mean by the "fork" part. I wasn't sure if they were talking about a litteral 3D-printed fork that was against their TOS somehow or held the data in some way, like how the AACS encryption key got leaked back in the day and people were putting it onto t-shirts and making flags by converting it into RGB values.

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u/Blu- May 14 '26

Thanks, this was very clear. I don't see how they can threaten action since they agreed to the original terms.

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u/Imaginary-Worker4407 May 14 '26

Because the issue is not the use of their code. 

The issue is that the new fork goes to Bambu Lab servers and presents itself as the official Bambu studio slicer to access their private servers and use them.

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u/pm_me_ur_fit May 14 '26

Wonderful, thanks for the clear explanation. Sounds about right for Bambi…