Just fresh off from receiving a $65 million investment from Ford Motor Company, it was revealed shortly after that Boston-based metal 3D printing maker, Desktop Metal had filed a lawsuit against rival brand Markforged for infringing on their metal 3D printing patents.

In the lawsuit that was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Desktop Metal alleged that Markforged’s Metal X 3D printer used technologies that were related to two patents (interface layer and separable support processes) that had been granted to the former earlier in the year.

Screen capture of lawsuit filed by Desktop Metal against Markforged. Image from Law360.

Desktop Metal also alleged in the same lawsuit that former employee Maitu Parangi who was previously working as a print lab technician during his time with the company had intentionally leaked secrets to his brother Abraham Parangi, and is the Technology and Creative Director at Markforged.

It is alleged in the lawsuit that Maitu Parangi had accessed proprietary information that was unrelated to his job scope, and they included drawings, intellectual property, supplier-related information, and the detailed processes that Desktop Metal had researched and developed for the printing of parts.

Senior Materials Research Scientist Uwe Bauer with Desktop Metal’s CEO Ric Fulop.

Desktop Metal’s CEO Ric Fulop who was once a board member and early investor at Markforged, revealed in a statement that their company is game for healthy competition in the exciting and growing metal 3D printing market. But he also added that they have a duty to respond should their technology or patents be infringed on, and will do what is necessary legally.

Markforged declined to comment as of writing, citing the ongoing legal process.

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