Comprehensive Response to Bambu's AGPLv3 Violations

# Comprehensive Response to Bambu's AGPLv3 Violations Source: [https://sfconservancy.org/news/2026/may/18/bambu-studio-3d-printer-agpl-violation-response/](https://sfconservancy.org/news/2026/may/18/bambu-studio-3d-printer-agpl-violation-response/) ### Multi\-pronged Approach Will Help Users Quickly while Seeking Optimal Long\-Term Solutions May 18, 2026 Software Freedom Conservancy \(“SFC”\) announces a new initiative regarding the software right to repair for users and consumers of 3D printers manufactured by Bambu Lab\. After recent news of violations of the Affero General Public License, version 3 \(“AGPLv3”\), SFC staff began a comprehensive AGPLv3 compliance investigation of both the userspace software and firmware on Bambu's devices\. While the investigation is ongoing, two specific AGPLv3 violations have been confirmed\. ### `libbambu\_networking`Violation Confirmed First, Bambu does not provide the complete, Corresponding Source Code \(“CCS”\) for their Slicer software\. \(The Slicer is used in 3D printing to take a digital design model \(i\.e\., the`STL`file\) and “slice” that file into many horizontal 2D layers for transmission to the printer itself\.\) Bambu[has publicly stated for four years](https://github.com/bambulab/BambuStudio/blob/e8c7dc1b84f5e3816238e070e04eeeb67cd92783/README.md?plain=1#L42-L49)that Bambu's slicer \(called “Bambu Studio”\) is a modified version of their competitor's AGPLv3'd slicer \(“PrusaSlicer”\)\. \(PrusaSlicer — in turn — is a modified version of “Slic3r” — originally authored by Alessandro Ranellucci\.\) While*some*source code for Bambu Studio can be found on Bambu's[Github](https://giveupgithub.org/)organizational account,[Bambu \(in effect\) admits publicly that they have violated the AGPLv3](https://github.com/bambulab/BambuStudio/blame/e8c7dc1b84f5e3816238e070e04eeeb67cd92783/README.md#L51-L52)by combining Bambu Studio with a proprietary library — which they distribute to the user via an interactive prompt in theUI\. The specific clauses of AGPLv3 that Bambu has violated are quoted below[1](https://sfconservancy.org/news/2026/may/18/bambu-studio-3d-printer-agpl-violation-response/#footnote-agplv3-text-rearranged-for-readability): > You may convey a covered work in Object Code form … provided that you also convey the machine\-readable Corresponding Source under the terms of this License … You must license the entire work, as a whole, under this License to anyone who comes into possession of a copy\. … The “Source Code” for a work means the preferred form of the work for making modifications to it\. “Object Code” means any non\-source form of a work\. The “Corresponding Source” for a work in Object Code form means all the Source Code needed to generate, install, and \(for an executable work\) run the Object Code and to Modify the work, including scripts to control those activities\. … For example, Corresponding Source includes interface definition files associated with source files for the work, and the Source Code for shared libraries and dynamically linked subprograms that the work is specifically designed to require, such as by intimate data communication or control flow between those subprograms and other parts of the work\. — AGPLv3§6¶1, §5\(c\), §1¶1,4 As such, Bambu's failure to provideCCSand Installation Information for the libraries known as`libbambu\_networking\.so`,`bambu\_networking\.dll`, and`libbambu\_networking\.dylib`constitutes an egregious and ongoing violation of AGPLv3\. ### Additional Violation via Bambu's Aggressive, “Chilling Effect” Recent Actions Keeping their networking library proprietary is not the only way that Bambu violated AGPLv3\. A software developer and Bambu Lab user \(Paweł Jarczak\) released another mechanism to integrate with Bambu Studio's server side components that*did not*require replacing or modifying the dynamically linked libraries\. Instead, Paweł made changes to a different AGPLv3'd slicer \(Orca Slicer\) by merely examining the \(incomplete\) source code for Bambu Studio\. Those Orca Slicer modifications allowed users to replace Bambu Studio and instead combine Orca Slicer via intimate data communication with Bambu Studio's currently\-source\-unavailable parts that run on Bambu Lab's servers\. Bambu demanded that Paweł remove the fork of OracSlicer with these changes from[Github](https://giveupgithub.org/)\.[Bambu falsely claims that](https://blog.bambulab.com/setting-the-record-straight-on-cloud-access-and-community/)their terms of service override the AGPLv3 \(along with other specious claims\)\. Bambu's scare tactics against Paweł constitute a violation of AGPLv3§10¶3 — which states the matter quite simply:You may not impose any further restrictions on the exercise of the rights granted or affirmed under this License\. Paweł[removed the Orca Slicer fork \(under protest\)](https://github.com/jarczakpawel/OrcaSlicer-bambulab/commit/25bbf7fd65963b6b787b36025cf5f8f993a28d43#diff-b335630551682c19a781afebcf4d07bf978fb1f8ac04c6bf87428ed5106870f5R3-R7)\. This is an understandable response; anyone would be concerned when a powerful company sends aggressive emails\. ### SFC's Comprehensive Approach to Address These Violations Bambu has behaved badly for years and made multiple, provably false public statements regarding the AGPLv3 and its requirements\. The recent aggressive behavior toward Paweł Jarczak was a last straw for us: 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\. 1. SFC launches today our[baltobu project](https://f.sfconservancy.org/baltobu)\. This project contains repositories as follows:1. **[baltobu's`reverse\-networking`repository hosts a project to reverse\-engineer](https://f.sfconservancy.org/baltobu/reverse-networking)`libbambu\_networking\.so`,`bambu\_networking\.dll`, and`libbambu\_networking\.dylib`**\.We also have encouraged volunteers in our[Use the Source](https://sfconservancy.org/usethesource)community to participate[2](https://sfconservancy.org/usethesource/candidate/bambu-studio-linux-240/),[3](https://sfconservancy.org/usethesource/candidate/bambu-studio-windows-25066/)in this process\. As we have[previously explained: Object Code combined with AGPLv3'd software must also be licensed under AGPLv3](https://sfconservancy.org/blog/2026/may/17/incomplete-corresponding-source-code-copyleft-agpl/#object-code-also-copylefted)\! As such, these Object Code libraries are governed by the AGPLv3\. SFC and our volunteers are within our rights to reverse\-engineer these libraries for the purpose of creating our own Source Code that can function as a drop\-in replacement in Bambu Studio\. If Bambu Studio were not known to be a strident long\-time AGPLv3 violator, we would not begin with this approach, but we believe the reverse\-engineering effort will yield results more quickly than legal action possibly can\. 2. **[baltobu's`orca\-slicer\-for\-bambu`repository](https://f.sfconservancy.org/baltobu/orca-slicer-for-bambu)will build on Paweł's work to become the canonical repository for maintaining and improving the Orca Slicer fork that Paweł originally published\.**SFC does not fear Bambu's aggression\. We welcome volunteers to join us in maintaining an OrcaStudio fork that works with Bambu's 3D printers\. Volunteer contributors working on SFC's behalf have[some amount of personal liability protection](https://sfconservancy.org/projects/services/#some-liability-protection), and SFC does our best to insert ourselves should Bambu make legal threats to any of our volunteers\. 3. **[baltobu's`viscose`repository](https://f.sfconservancy.org/baltobu/viscose)seeks to maintain an active fork of Bambu Studio itself\.**This project will seek to take the best of any discoveries from the two aforementioned initiatives and work toward a replacement for Bambu Studio that works better for consumers who own Bambu 3D printers\. 2. **SFC will continue as a watchdog for any further Bambu Lab violations**\.Our staff spent the last week investigating the violations discussed here, but we will not stop there\! We normally do not actively*look*for violations\. However, in this case, SFC will watch Bambu Lab closely and continue to investigate — regularly looking for any potential violations of copyleft licenses\. 3. **SFC will launch a standing committee to discuss software freedom and rights in the 3D printer community**\.Details on this committee will be forthcoming in June 2026\. Generally speaking, this committee will bring together 3D printer manufacturers, users, consumers, copyleft licensing experts, and software freedom activists to meet monthly to communicate about any new issues or concerns that arise regarding the software right to repair for 3D printers and accompanying software, and to make action plans to address those issues\. ### Volunteer Can Help*Now*\! The SFC welcomes volunteers to join these efforts immediately; we will need your help\! We specifically welcome as our first volunteer Paweł Jarczak himself\! Paweł's work has been instrumental in investigating Bambu's various AGPLv3 violations\. Paweł has agreed to collaborate with SFC on the efforts we begin today\. If you would also like to help with any of the technical work going on in our[baltobu project, please follow this link](https://f.sfconservancy.org/baltobu)for information on how to request an account on[our Forgejo instance](https://f.sfconservancy.org/)\. If you're interested in helping on any of the other initiatives above,[please email us at <3dprint@sfconservancy\.org\>](mailto:[email protected])\. ### Donate Now to Support Our Right\-to\-Repair Efforts We also launch today a fundraiser with a target goal of US$250,007\! This fundraiser will last for two months\. All[newly initiated Sustainer contributions](https://sfconservancy.org/sustainer)and[general donations to SFC](https://sfconservancy.org/donate/)will be earmarked for our software right to repair efforts\. If we reach our ambitious fundraising goal, we'll immediately begin a search to hire an employee to head the efforts described herein — including coordination of volunteer contributors and strategic planning to improve the software right to repair for 3D printers\. If we don't reach the goal, we will route the funds to \(a\) fund existing staff's time to focus on this project and \(b\) work on related software right to repair efforts\. ### Thanks to All Who Have Already Helped on this Matter We are grateful for efforts of everyone who who have helped so much to get this started\! In particular: - Thanks so much to Paweł Jarczak who drew our attention to Bambu Lab's ongoing AGPLv3 violations\! Paweł did what all software developers are allowed to do under AGPLv3: change the source code to do something interesting\! Paweł did not deserve Bambu Lab's bad treatment, and we look forward to collaborating with Paweł\. - We also thank[b3nsn0w](https://github.com/b3nsn0w)— who has done substantial additional research about the situation with Bambu Lab, and[has been a voice for the AGPLv3](https://github.com/bambulab/BambuStudio/issues/6037)for more than a year regarding the dynamically linked libraries violation\. - Thanks also to FULU for[taking a stand](https://www.fulu.org/blog/were-taking-a-stand-against-bambu-labs-join-us)and drawing attention to this issue\. --- #### Footnote [1](https://sfconservancy.org/news/2026/may/18/bambu-studio-3d-printer-agpl-violation-response/#return-agplv3-text-rearranged-for-readability)The order of appearance of clauses in AGPLv3's text have been rearranged here for readability, and all defined terms have been herein capitalized for emphasis\.