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| A blob of filament on Bambu Lab 3D printer nozzle |
After being lambasted by Louis Rossmann and Gamers Nexus—and openly dared to sue them for covering an independent developer’s OrcaSlicer–Bambu Lab fork—the controversial 3D printer manufacturer is now under heavy fire from a major open-source nonprofit. The Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) has stepped into the ring, uncovering two serious license violations and launching a funded reverse-engineering project called “baltobu.”
For context, Bambu Lab threatened legal action and pressured solo developer Paweł Jarczak, who used his own code to allow users to bypass the company’s cloud service restrictions. Those restrictions were slowly implemented via the “Authorization Control System,” followed by the middleware plugin Bambu Connect. Owners were given more control using Paweł’s OrcaSlicer–Bambu Lab fork, which restored full cloud printing without requiring Bambu Connect.
What followed was a textbook example of corporate overreach—and then an equally swift backlash.
The Violations: What the SFC Found
Fast-forward to May 18, when the SFC announced it had vigorously investigated Bambu Lab and discovered two serious violations of the GNU Affero General Public License version 3 (AGPLv3), which governs Bambu Studio. For context, Bambu Studio is the company’s flagship slicer software, and it is itself a fork of the AGPL-licensed PrusaSlicer—meaning Bambu Lab inherited strict legal obligations.
First violation: Bambu Lab bundles a proprietary networking library called bambu_networking without releasing the corresponding source code. The AGPLv3 requires that any work based on the licensed software must release the full source code of the entire combined work—especially when it involves network interaction. By keeping that library closed, Bambu Lab is directly violating the license that gives them the right to use PrusaSlicer’s code in the first place.
Second violation: The company’s aggressive attempts to threaten and shut down Paweł Jarczak’s fork. According to the SFC, Bambu Lab’s legal scare tactics effectively restrict Jarczak’s legal rights under the AGPLv3.
*“Bambu demanded that Paweł remove the fork of OrcaSlicer with these changes from GitHub. Bambu falsely claims that their terms of service override the AGPLv3 (along with other specious claims). Bambu’s scare tactics against Paweł constitute a violation of AGPLv3 which has a sub-clause stating: ‘You may not impose any further restrictions on the exercise of the rights granted or affirmed under this License.’”*
That quote comes directly from the Software Freedom Conservancy’s official response, which you can read in full here. The SFC didn’t mince words, calling Bambu’s behavior “the last straw” after a pattern of anti-consumer moves.
Bambu Lab Backtracks—But Damage Is Done
To its credit (or perhaps its legal team’s horror), Bambu Lab folded under the mounting pressure and backtracked. The company issued a statement saying:
“We nonetheless regret that our reference to terms of service, legal context, and a potential C&D understandably came across as a legal threat. That was not the outcome we wanted.”
But for many in the 3D printing and open-source communities, the apology rings hollow. Independent watchdogs like Louis Rossmann and Gamers Nexus had already torn into the company, with Rossmann openly daring Bambu Lab to sue him for covering Jarczak’s story. The SFC’s intervention moves the fight from YouTube commentary to legally enforceable license compliance.
The SFC Strikes Back: Project “Baltobu”
Now, the SFC has launched “baltobu” —a multi-pronged reverse-engineering effort designed to liberate Bambu Lab users from the company’s proprietary grip. The project includes:
- A full replacement fork for Bambu Lab’s proprietary networking libraries (reverse-engineered to be clean-room compatible)
- An actively maintained OrcaSlicer fork specifically for Bambu Lab hardware
- A dedicated Bambu Studio fork that complies with AGPLv3
The SFC’s stated goal goes beyond just fixing one company’s violations. As the organization put it: *“We have decided to launch a multi-pronged effort that will assist consumers and users in the short term and also work toward a long-term strategy to improve the software right to repair for all 3D printer consumers.”*
Fundraising Goal Met—And Then Some
Perhaps the most telling sign of community frustration is the speed with which the SFC met its fundraising target. The organization set out to raise $250,007 to hire dedicated staff and volunteers for the baltobu project. As of today, that goal has been met, ensuring that the reverse-engineering work will continue regardless of Bambu Lab’s cooperation.
Want to support ongoing AGPL enforcement and right-to-repair efforts? You can donate to the SFC’s sustainer fund here.
What This Means for 3D Printing’s Future
This isn’t just a niche license dispute. Bambu Lab has become one of the most popular consumer 3D printer brands, known for speed and ease of use. But that popularity came with a walled-garden approach that many open-source advocates warned about. The company’s attempt to lock down cloud printing through Bambu Connect was seen as a direct attack on the RepRap ethos of user freedom.
Now, with the SFC wielding the AGPLv3 like a legal hammer, Bambu Lab faces a choice: comply fully, release the source code for bambu_networking, and stop threatening developers—or fight a costly legal battle against a nonprofit that has successfully enforced open-source licenses against much larger corporations (including VMware and dozens of others).
For Paweł Jarczak, the solo developer who never asked for any of this, the SFC’s involvement is vindication. His OrcaSlicer fork is already back online, and the baltobu project will likely make his improvements permanent—whether Bambu Lab likes it or not.
Bottom line: If you own a Bambu Lab printer, your right to repair and modify your own device just got a massive boost. And if you’re a company building products on open-source software, this is your wake-up call: the AGPLv3 isn’t a suggestion, and the SFC doesn’t bluff.