Open Source, Selectively
Open-source has played a significant role in the evolution of desktop 3D printing.
Many of the tools, standards, and assumptions that exist today were born from open experimentation and shared iteration.
What We Open-Source
We openly share:
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Conceptual frameworks and terminology
How we reason about pellet extrusion, pressure, melt behavior, nozzle geometry, and material control at desktop scale. -
Educational material
Explanations, diagrams, and principles that help others understand why systems behave the way they do. -
Non-critical tooling and workflows
Tools like CHOPPER, reference designs, and workflows intended to enable experimentation with other tools. -
Interfaces and integration
Information that allows users to integrate, adapt, or build around Metafuse systems. These include mountings, adapters, cosmetic and aesthetic coverings.
What We Do Not Open-Source
We do not open-source:
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Product-defining mechanical designs
Dimensions, tolerances, and geometries whose value lies in execution (manufacturing-critical details). -
Vendor-specific info
We will not share information about where or who we outsource our parts/software to, or where we buy from.
Not because they are “secret,” but because releasing them prematurely would introduce risk of misrepresentation.
Why This Boundary Exists
Screw extrusion has existed for over a century, and desktop FDM has existed for barely a decade.
When industrial principles are scaled down and adapted to 3D printing, most of the difficulty lies not in invention, but in translation. That translation is where Metafuse focuses its work.
Open-sourcing conclusions without the context that makes them function does not create progress. It creates confusion at best, and obsolescence at worst.
A Different Interpretation of Openness
Metafuse believes:
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Understanding should be open
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Reasoning should be open
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Language should be open
But execution earns its value through responsibility and iteration.
To us, open-source is a tool, not a moral obligation. We strive to adhere to the boundaries and responsibilities of other open-source tools that helped build our system.
For Those Who Want More
If you are experimenting, researching, or building in this space and believe something should be shared or discussed more openly, we are open to conversation. This wiki itself is an attempt at conveying that value.