Is LEGO Entering the Custom Piece Market?

[Hapori Tohu]

There's a huge demand in the LEGO community for pieces that the company just doesn't make. Look around the Internet (or go to a comprehensive listing like BrickMap) and you'll see a lot of places that offer products that are compatible with LEGO bricks, whether they be brand new pieces, custom-painted or decaled, or existing pieces molded in a new color. Some fans even turn to competitors such as Mega Bloks and KRE-O to get elements that are compatible with LEGO bricks but in new and different shapes. What if LEGO decided to put together an offering to allow its fans to create their own elements? I have reason to believe that they might be doing just that - read on to see why!

 

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[V-N]

I personally don't favor the idea. LEGO is supposed to bring out the imagination. If there isn't a perfect part for a particular element or design, then one should be creative and work around it. I can see the appeal of having such software, and agree that sometimes it would be useful to just have that one part that seems like it should exist, but doesn't, and thus makes my life harder on finishing a MOC. But custom parts, to me, is in the same vein as cut or modified parts. It is less admirable that someone could not have worked around it, instead of cheating, so to speak. It isn't the same when someone uses their own part to make an otherwise near impossible connection, or get a perfectly smooth and aesthetic look.

[Banana Gunz]

This seems really interesting to me, and I'm definitely open to the idea. I'm not sure of the practicality of it though. For example there is no way of actually being able to test whether or not your piece will work. It's not as simple as simply putting an axle or connection point wherever you like; piece designers have to make sample parts and make several versions to see if the part can match the standards. If you slap together a piece, how can you tell it won't be brittle and break easily?

 

Also as V-N mentioned, it takes away some creativity. This isn't my biggest concern because I would imagine parts would be expensive but still, it might turn into "Well why should I bother trying to find a solution to this building problem when I can just make a new piece to fix it?"

 

I'd still love to see this happen, but it brings up a lot of problems in practicality. They would be very expensive, especially if you were to have your part colored. This may be something for the future rather than anytime now. But hey, custom Kanohi!!!

[CaT in Rogue]

I have to admit, I don't know if I could really support this idea. V-N makes some good points, and this would hurt the MOCing community more than help it.

[xccj]

I dunno, I think there'd be a quality issue. Lego prides itself on having generally high quality bricks, and they don't want parents, who might not be aware of 3D printing, to get a third party's compatible but low quality piece and assume that it was made by Lego. And while I remember a speech at one of the conventions that said 3D printers are getting cheaper and better in quality, but those two artibutes don't go hand in hand; if you want to print Lego-level quality bricks, you're probably going to need an expensive machine, and not just the cheapest one on the market. Eventually the technology and prices will advance enough to make it affordable, but I don't think that will happen yet.

 

Instead, I think the intent for this is to claim the idea and block other people from trying to use it, so that they don't have to worry about issues like this in the future. Then, instead of complaining about quality and brand recognition, they can just go "BOOM, we've got the patent, no can do for you!" That exact phrase, I'm sure.

 

[ChocolateFrogs]

It's great to see LEGO taking the 3D printing market into account as it rises in popularity. I've seen some cool stuff at my LUG meetings and at BrickFair last month, so seeing LEGO thinking about it is encouraging.

 

I can see some problems with this (quality issues, pieces being made), and some cool things coming about it (custom pieces, encouragement to learn the programming necessary to make those). It will be interesting to see where they go with this, if they do, in the future.

 

-CF

[doodleloot]

I don't see how it would take away from the creativity. In fact, I'm convinced that designing your own piece requires more creativity and logical thinking than simply using a pre-made piece. 

 

One issue I have with this idea however is that you won't really get Lego quality pieces straight out of a 3D printer. I'll just take the printing lines as an example. Sure, there are printers that print at a high resolution to make them less appearent, but it can't compare to an injection-molded Lego piece.

[Kopekemaster]

This would certainly be cool. What's perplexing me the most of all the prototype sketch things is this one. Like, what is that?

 

Honestly, though, probably the extent of what I'd use it for is getting *x7 or *x5 things.

Edited September 7, 2014 by Kopekemaster

[Lemony Lepid]

I personally like the idea, although, one of the only reasons I would get the program or pay for a custom element is for my custom mask and some other pieces for my own MOC. Like a lime mata torso and the like. I know it's selfish, yet I would still praise lego for it.

 

Above all, looking at the points that you all are making, I say: go for it lego!

[fishers64]

I think it's more of "we got the patent, now you can't patent one yourself and make money off it and get around buying real Lego" type thing TBH. They're trying to protect themselves from someone making such a software program for a 3-D printer and selling it for a lot of money.

[Lyichir]

This is the wordiest news article I've ever seen on BZP. O_O

 

I do think that 3D printing would be a risky development for the Lego brand. Lego would have to be very careful about how they approached it, to make sure that they're not letting hazardous pieces out into the wild or making things easier for clone brands to copy.

But I do see promise. For example, I think a heavily structured system that allowed for customization would be incredible as it relates to custom figs. Imagine a "minifig editor" with the kind of versatility you might have in an MMORPG character creator. A system that allowed for heavy customization of clothing, facial features, etc. but had limits in place to make sure the resultant fig adhered to modern minifig design principles. Most of that would involve decorations, rather than 3D printing, but what if the system also allowed for the custom design of hairpieces and the like? My brother would surely appreciate that, as there are many hairpieces which could pass for his hairstyle, but few which are parted on the left, like he prefers. The question is, would a system like this be able to be released to the public without them hacking into it to allow for unintended customization? Or, if Lego printed the parts themselves, would they be able to formulate an economic model that allowed for it, after the failure of services like Hero Recon Team or Lego Design-by-Me?

The answers aren't all there, but I'm glad to see that Lego is taking the possibilities into consideration. By paying close attention to emergent technologies which could be used by them or their competitors, they're on track to maintain their market dominance for a good long while.

[Aanchir]

Instead, I think the intent for this is to claim the idea and block other people from trying to use it, so that they don't have to worry about issues like this in the future. Then, instead of complaining about quality and brand recognition, they can just go "BOOM, we've got the patent, no can do for you!" That exact phrase, I'm sure.

That's pretty close to the definition of a patent troll, and I'd like to think the LEGO Group has higher standards than to enforce patents on a concept that they never intend to develop themselves. Also, it would be foolish to patent a particular technology like this strictly to hold back their competitors, because it's entirely possible that their competitors could discover a work-around that the patent in question would be powerless to prevent.

 

Basically what this patent seems to describe is a technology similar to LEGO Digital Designer, but instead of assembling parts you're assembling predefined components of a part — for instance, taking a user-designed object and digitally adding attachment points like studs, anti-studs, cross axles, and cross axle holes. That seems like a great technology for the LEGO Group to develop, especially considering how many people are already using services like Shapeways to create custom LEGO-compatible parts. Imagine a first-party LEGO software application that made this sort of thing more accessible to kids and hobbyists, while still ensuring that all the connection points perfectly meet the LEGO Group's own allowed tolerances that ensure maximum clutch power.

 

Certainly, it's doubtful that the technology and infrastructure for such a service exist at this time. But I'm sure the LEGO Group is working on a plan for both what their next step with this will be and how much the technology needs to advance before they can move forward. They're certainly not just going to sit on this patent until it expires.

[Black Six]

This would certainly be cool. What's perplexing me the most of all the prototype sketch things is this one. Like, what is that?

It's just an example to illustrate the software, not anything you can expect to see LEGO make.

[Click]

Barring all the difficulties and complaints others brought up, this would be amazing. There are a few parts that over and over I've wished Lego produced, but I can see the complaints about "cheating." It would be nice for things that there is no way to do it nicely without altering parts though (like using hand pieces as Matoran upper legs while retaining posability). After that, I just hope there is an "Import .stl or .obj" button so I can design a custom Kanohi, tool, minifigure armor, etc., import it, and attach the studs properly without having to painstakingly measure every length I need.

[Manterax Prime]

If Lego does make this a reality, hopefully constraction components are included as an option.

If I can create joints with the new ball socket for my Bionicle sets, in the color they need to be, then I'm all for this happening.

[renaldohoek]

If such a system were to be developed in such a way as to promote the creation of compatible building elements by customers while remaining accessible to builders of all skill levels, LEGO would be in the possession of a very lucerative business model. Not to mention, it would provide yet another massive boost in the P.R. department, especially with AFOLs. 

 

Naturally, the scenario wouldn't play out this way for another few years, simply because the technology is still in its relative infancy. The quality of the plastic would have to improve, alongside a lowered price, for this to be a realistic enterprise for TLG. Given the level of both scientific and cultural interest in the technology, however, that day isn't far off.

 

To address to concerns of MOCers, the desire to improvise, problem solve, and find new uses for various pieces will never go away, even if the popular trend changes. People like Adrian Florea, ColeBlaq, and Retinence will continue to make our brains hurt in the best of ways, simply because they can, and they want to. The odds of custom pieces becoming a substitution for creativity are very low (and to be completely honest, would probably be isolated to the Bionicle category on Brickshelf), so I think, as a community, we'll be okay.

 

Edited September 7, 2014 by renaldohoek

[Ziontyro Metalhead]

IT would be easier for them to allow you to submit parts, then they would choose which ones are the most useful, then make those.

[Chro]

I like this idea, honestly

 

 

This would certainly be cool. What's perplexing me the most of all the prototype sketch things is this one. Like, what is that?

That's my house

[Steve the Squid]

You say that a 3D printer will possibly run you $300 or $500. Yes, that's true. But if you want one that can print legos that will actually stay together and work and be maybeI MegaBloks quality, you're going to need a LOT better printer than that. Probably thousands of dollars, if not more.

I'm very excited for this concept. Personally, I think that lego was just jumping on the 3D printing bandwagon buzz while it was hot, and won't be making anything like this until 3D printing technology gets a lot better. Personally, I hope we get something better than 3D printing in our homes, because while 3D printing is nice, for situations like an interlocking building toy, it's a relatively inefficient method, albeit the best we've got right now.

 

But you never know, the remote location part could be promising.

 

This would certainly be cool. What's perplexing me the most of all the prototype sketch things is this one. Like, what is that?

To me, it looks like something that clicks together, like a technic pin into a technic hole, or maybe a complex/large/multicolored piece that needs to be printed in two batches and then snapped together to create the element.

[Kopekemaster]

 

 

maybe a complex/large/multicolored piece that needs to be printed in two batches and then snapped together to create the element.

I kind of lean toward that, since it looks like the kind of thing that you couldn't really take apart again without some serious manhandling/hacking.

[Black Six]

 

maybe a complex/large/multicolored piece that needs to be printed in two batches and then snapped together to create the element.

I kind of lean toward that, since it looks like the kind of thing that you couldn't really take apart again without some serious manhandling/hacking.

 

Don't read too much into that guys, it's just a general illustration to show how the software could work. It's by no means representative of something LEGO would actually make.

[Lyichir]

 

 

maybe a complex/large/multicolored piece that needs to be printed in two batches and then snapped together to create the element.

I kind of lean toward that, since it looks like the kind of thing that you couldn't really take apart again without some serious manhandling/hacking.

 

Don't read too much into that guys, it's just a general illustration to show how the software could work. It's by no means representative of something LEGO would actually make.

 

Yeah. Patent art is often obtuse, sometimes intentionally so (so that people can't try to replicate the look of your newly-patented technology without infringing upon the actual content of the patent. I imagine this is the case here, which is why the parts and connections presented are totally unlike any actual Lego parts.

[Kopekemaster]

 

 

 

maybe a complex/large/multicolored piece that needs to be printed in two batches and then snapped together to create the element.

I kind of lean toward that, since it looks like the kind of thing that you couldn't really take apart again without some serious manhandling/hacking.

 

Don't read too much into that guys, it's just a general illustration to show how the software could work. It's by no means representative of something LEGO would actually make.

 

Yeah. Patent art is often obtuse, sometimes intentionally so (so that people can't try to replicate the look of your newly-patented technology without infringing upon the actual content of the patent. I imagine this is the case here, which is why the parts and connections presented are totally unlike any actual Lego parts.

 

Yeah, I know, I was just somewhat befuddled by it (since, as I said, it didn't really look like the kind of thing you could really take it apart).