3D printers are a veritable revolution. They make it possible to print anything at home: from decorative objects to figurines and even prosthetic limbs. To do it, all it takes is to download the blueprints for any of the millions of items available online.

Unfortunately, among these objects there are blueprints for real firearms. Accessible without restriction and in just a few clicks, anyone who owns a 3D printer can, in a few hours, manufacture their own functional weapons at home that are untraceable and undetectable.

The European countries have extremely stringent laws related to firearms. But those printed in 3D escape every form of control.

To date, no law or initiative has attempted to halt their spread.

Dagoma, a European leader in 3D printing, decided to stop this plague by launching operation Harmless Guns.

To fight 3D-printed weapons, Dagoma attacked the root of the problem, their blueprints.

Through a participative platform, real weapon blueprints were collected with the help of web users. Then they were modified so none of the parts fit together, making the printed weapons completely harmless.

To ensure the blueprints are credible in the eyes of web users wishing to obtain a gun, all modifications are imperceptible to the naked eye: weight, appearance, name, composition. Then these blueprints were spread in the same places where the originals were found: forums, chats, 3D model platforms. All this with a single goal, to make real blueprints extremely hard to find, to discourage people who want a gun.

With the files collected to create HarmlessGuns, we developed software that detects and prevents printing of 3D weapons on Dagoma printers. It’s open source, so every manufacturer can prevent printing of weapons on their printers.

Dagoma is the European leader in 3D printing. But the sector is increasingly competitive. To set itself apart, Dagoma decided to confront a subject that no 3D printer manufacturer had ever dared to tackle: 3D-printed weapons.

The goal being to generate brand preference from the general public and fans of 3D printing around a responsible and engaged vision of 3D printing.

To achieve this, an original PR kit was created containing harmless guns printed in 3D so that journalists could check for themselves that the gun parts did not fit together.

To reach our different targets, we sent this PR kit to the French mainstream media in TV, press and radio. We also targeted specialist media in new technologies and those focused on communication and marketing.

The campaign required 8 months of work.

From June 2018, we collected 3D-printed weapon blueprints with the help of web users via a participative platform.

Then the blueprints were made harmless and spread on forums, chats and specialist platforms. The credibility of these harmless guns was built up with positive comments and likes. And the files of functional weapons were discredited.

Finally, on 9 January 2019, we revealed the operation to journalists and the media.

The campaign was immediately picked up by television, the press and social media around the world. This media coverage allowed us to promote the open source application preventing the printing of weapons and made available to the 3D industry. And to create awareness of Dagoma’s commitment against 3D-printed weapons.

Without any media investment, and in less than 10 days, the operation was communicated in France and internationally on 10 TV stations, notably France 2 and BFM, and in dozens of articles.

The campaign generated over 128 million impressions in more than 25 countries (including USA, France, Australia, England, Korea and Turkey).

Visits to the Dagoma website increased 43%.

13,000 harmless guns have been downloaded, wearing down the nerves of users but importantly preventing the printing of thousands of functional weapons.

The software preventing the printing of 3D weapons has been downloaded by several 3D printer manufacturers who are integrating it in their printing application.

And this operation allowed Dagoma to be seen by the public as the first company to actively engage against 3D-printed weapons.