Are NFTs the answer to the digital file security question in Additive Manufacturing?
Are NFTs the answer to the digital file security?question in Additive Manufacturing?
During the grand opening of CATCH (Charlotte Advanced Technology Collaboration Hub), Siemens newest AM Hub, one of the discussions was around AM being disruptive. After many engaging conversations, we learned that disruption could be positive or negative depending on what industry you serve and how your business operates.
We had conversations about opportunities in disruption that ranged from distributed manufacturing, lack of consistency across AM machines, slow development of standards, and workforce development. But one that really struck a nerve for me and several others was cybersecurity. ?While not everyone in the additive industry is awake at night thinking about how they will keep their build file integrity intact while embracing distributed manufacturing, those who are fully embracing AM and see it playing a critical role in the future of supply chain. AM can enable a world with no warehouses, and the ability to print components “when” we need them, and most importantly “where” we need them.
While distributed manufacturing has some very positive attributes for global manufacturers, there are several hurdles that we need to jump over before industry will embrace it. Everything from “glocalization” (new word of the month here folks!), to smaller more focused manufacturing facilities, JIT materials and logistics, and the elephant in the room, cybersecurity!
Siemens has developed a software tool called “Additive Manufacturing (AM) Network” where buyers and sellers all over the world can be connected through a cloud platform. The AM Network is an online order-to-delivery collaboration platform for the industrial additive manufacturing community. We connect the AM ecosystem, simplify the collaboration process, and streamline the AM production process. The platform can be used as an internal tool, allowing engineering, purchasing, and manufacturing to work together more seamlessly in their pursuit to shorten the time from design to ship for a given component. Or purely on a buyer/seller platform for 3D printed components on the open market.
While this idea is not new in the AM world, Siemens is applying decades of experience in supply chain and manufacturing software in a secure cloud...but how secure is it?
Ok, so was this a pitch for AM Network…no, not at all, we use it, we love it, but is poses the largest question a digital manufacturing industry faces, “how do we protect our IP, aka our build files, parameters, digital materials, etc.”?
During the conversation around digital file security, Siemens USA CEO Barbara Humpton suggested NFTs were the answer. When I hear NFTs, I think of crypto currencies, art or someone paying too much for something no one else really wanted i.e., a sports star in a cool picture.
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But let’s stop for a second and consider the idea.
Our fears are that someone can intercept our digital file as it zooms through the innerwebs, and they now have our secret sauce. We have spent week$, month$$ or even year$$$ dialing in that parameter set, the material characteristics are repeatable, and the tolerances are all met, just to have someone steal our investment and reproduce it without our consent.
So how can NFTs help with this?
Investopedia defines NFTs as: “NFTs are unique cryptographic tokens that exist on a blockchain and cannot be replicated. NFTs can represent real-world items like artwork and real estate. "Tokenizing" these real-world tangible assets makes buying, selling, and trading them more efficient while reducing the probability of fraud.”
I am not an expert in cybersecurity, NFTs or much else for that matter, but I am more interested in what the Additive Manufacturing Industry thinks of this idea.
Would this require new skill sets in our IT departments, would this require more infrastructure investment, CAPEX, OPEX, would this create more work for less output?
These are the questions that went through my head as I digested Barbara’s comment. What questions does it raise for you and your company?
While I represent Siemens, please note that this contains a lot of my opinions which may or may not reflect Siemens.
Siemens Fellow - Siemens Digital Industries Software
2 年Hello My Bearded Friend! I hope all is well. Cool discussion .. I think that you touch on some interesting points but I think many topics are often mixed up when we think of MDRM / NFT's / Blockchain, the reality of the situation when building using existing technology is quite complex. For a good build we need: 1) A good material Parameter set on the actual machine (Material Specific Machine parameters, not a build processor parameter set). 2) A good Build JOB file in the Machines specific Format (derived from build prep SW which also leveraged multiple Parameter sets for different build strategies in different parts of the product your building) 3) Consistent Raw material (Powder) So what are we Protecting? We can explore how to leverage NFT's combined with DRM / MDRM and other tech to protect any or all of the above.. but depending on which topic you choose you will have very different sets of requirements. Stay safe & speak soon! Dave
Founder, Investor, Serial Entrepreneur, Inventor, Board Member, $30M+ Venture Funding, 3 companies, 1 Exit | TechCrunch Disrupt Top Pick | Patented Technology | Air Force Advanced Manufacturing Competition ?? 1st Place
2 年Good article, I call them PNFTs Physical Non Fungible Tokens, you can embed the hash into the print, QR code easy, but more complicated is stuff that can only be viewed via x-ray or neutron interferometry, from design to the end state of printing (digital fingerprints on chain) more launching on simbamarket.com digital and physical
If I listen to Kevin O'Leary, I think there is huge potential in some of the NFT projects, like applying NFT's to validate item authenticity and other use cases. I want to believe NFT's will bring value to the AM market, but I still see too much project diversity, too much scamming around crypto as a whole and a lot of uncertainty of lawmakers about the right regulation - so we are a still further out I think.
I specialize in transforming complex technology and innovative solutions into clear, engaging, and actionable messages, empowering businesses to connect with their customers, drive engagement, and accelerate growth.
2 年I think until this new technology is applied toward new innovations, it will remain an interesting topic to muse about. We’re probably not far off from this point though. If I had to place a bet, I would say NFTs will take off in 5-7 years from now.
Professor of Additive Manufacturing and Metallurgy at Università Politecnica delle Marche
2 年I used to say “local but global” during my presentations, your term “glocalization” feels like a game changer! I really enjoyed this article, my major question would be “how can I assign a value to my set of parameters?” The lack of process repeatability, especially when it comes to different machines, could be the major issues in this case. Anyway, NFTs and all the data protection efforts that come with them should allow additional improvements towards cybersecurity for AM!