October 27, 2017
Robert Shaw, Ferenc Dalnoki-Veress, Shea Cotton, Joshua Pollack, Masako Toki, Ruby Russell, Olivia Vassalotti, Syed Gohar Altaf
Occasional Paper #33
Read the full Occasional Paper #33:
Evaluating WMD Proliferation Risks at the Nexus of 3D Printing and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Communities
Executive Summary
This report summarizes the analysis and findings of our research project entitled “Evaluating WMD Proliferation Risks at the Nexus of 3D Printing and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Communities.”
Conducted by a team with the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey’s (MIIS)
James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS), this project builds upon emerging literature in the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) nonproliferation field highlighting additive manufacturing (AM) — which includes 3D printing — as a potential proliferation risk. This project analyzes a set of export-controlled items to understand the degree to which 3D printing might be used to produce — and thus represent a new pathway for proliferators to acquire — dual-use goods useful for the development of WMDs. Additionally the study considers the degree to which communities using and promoting 3D printing may impact the risk of WMD proliferation.
