UK government tried 3D-printing guns to assess threat

It pays to know your enemy. The UK government has 3D-printed at least one gun to try and understand how much of a threat the technology presents, New Scientist has learned. The task fell to researchers at the Home Office's Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST), which advises the government on scientific issues related to crime prevention. At a meeting of the Home Office Science Advisory Council (HOSAC) in July last year, CAST researcher Richard Lacey explained how investigations into 3D-printed guns form part of the organisation's "horizon scanning" efforts to monitor new technology. CAST used a 3D printer to make a gun based on plans downloaded from the internet, but it failed to fire. CAST is also investigating 3D-printing of handcuff keys, unmanned aerial vehicles, batteries, electronics and even body parts, Lacey told HOSAC. "Our Centre for Applied Science and Technology uses 3D printers, software and a 3D scanner to update and enhance its design engineering capability, which is central to the work it undertakes," a Home Office spokesperson told New Scientist. "The equipment is used in a range of CAST projects including trials and testing."