by Padma Kuppa, CIO, Project DIAMOnD
A recent conversation with Kari Kammel, the Senior Director of the Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection at MSU, reminded me how small manufacturers are increasingly vulnerable to counterfeiting. As digital models are circulated online and printed globally, lean enterprises may lack the legal and technical infrastructure to protect their designs. This vulnerability not only affects revenue but also undermines trust and reputation.
The Project DIAMOnD® Marketplace, a secure peer to peer digital platform offers a powerful response. Powered by Nano Dimension’s Digital Source platform, this system enables small manufacturers to participate in distributed additive manufacturing while protecting their intellectual property. Digital part files are encrypted and stored securely in the cloud. Buyers license prints directly through the platform, and usage is controlled. A manufacturer can authorize a specific number of prints because a buyer purchases a certain number of licenses to print. Every transaction is traceable, with audit logs tied to machine identity and production parameters. For small businesses, this creates a trusted environment where designs can be shared, monetized, and printed without giving up control.
Education plays a key role too. The Project DIAMOnD® Academy currently offers structured training that covers the fundamentals of additive manufacturing, digital workflows, identifying business opportunities, and best practices in 3D printing. We leverage Automation Alley’s long-standing partnerships with educational institutions and hope to build synergy with institutions like MSU’s Center for Anti‑Counterfeiting and Product Protection (A‑CAPP). Together, we can help extend awareness of anti-counterfeiting methods whether through integrated course modules or co-branded workshops with experts like Kari Kammel, Senior Director at A‑CAPP.
Counterfeiting today is a systemic economic threat:
· Fake goods totaled nearly $467 billion globally in 2021—2.5% of world trade
· U.S. firms lose over $200 billion a year, with more than 750,000 lost jobs
· The rise in small-parcel counterfeit interdictions—up 181% in five years—demonstrates how opaque this trade has become
Additive manufacturing intensifies this risk: 3D printing reduces barriers to reverse-engineering and enables counterfeiters to distribute parts decentrally. Without protective systems, even a single breached STL file can result in untracked, unlicensed replication—and ripple effects throughout marketplaces.
The Project DIAMOnD® Marketplace, fortified with encryption and licensing controls, offers a trust-based alternative. Coupled with manufacturer education—especially modules focusing on IP protection and secure design handling—we can equip small organizations to defend their ideas in this shifting landscape.
What’s the impact? By integrating secure digital workflows with robust product‑protection training, we can improve this resilient small-business ecosystem — one where innovation is protected, traceable, and economically viable.
Next steps? Our invitation goes out to small manufacturers, educators, and product‑protection advocates: join the Project DIAMOnD® Marketplace, as a buyer, a vendor of digital designs or a provider of print services. Let’s explore how encrypted manufacturing and workplace upskilling can safeguard our shared economy. With strategic steps, we can blunt the growth of counterfeiting and foster a safer environment for local innovation.