Creality
{{Short description|Chinese manufacturer of 3D printers}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox company
| logo = Creality logo.png
| name = Shenzhen Creality 3D Technology Co, Ltd.
| native_name =深圳市创想三维科技股份有限公司
| native_name_lang =
| industry = 3D printing
| founded = 2014
| founders = Chen Chun, Ao Danjun, Liu Huilin, Tang Jingke
| hq_location = Shenzhen
| website = {{URL|https://www.creality.com/}}
| footnotes =
}}
File:Ender 3x 3D印表機 套件 - 49804730471.jpg
Creality ({{lang-zh|s=创想三维|t=創想三維|first=s|p=Chuàngxiǎng sānwéi|l=Create and think 3D}}), officially known as Shenzhen Creality 3D Technology Co, Ltd., is a Chinese 3D printer manufacturing company established in 2014,{{cite book |author=Colin Dow |date=30 March 2022 |title=Simplifying 3D Printing with OpenSCAD: Design, build, and test OpenSCAD programs to bring your ideas to life using 3D printers |publisher=Packt |pages=4– |isbn=978-1-80181-179-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VJxhEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA4}}{{Cite web |last=Wakefield |first=Edward |date=2022-04-05 |title=Creality celebrates its 8th anniversary |url=https://www.3dprintingmedia.network/creality-celebrates-its-8th-anniversary/ |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=3D Printing Media Network |language=en-US}} with headquarters located in Shenzhen.Jeff Green. {{cite web |title=America's Garage Hobbyists Fight the Pandemic With 3D Printers |work=Bloomberg News |date=April 22, 2020 |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-22/america-s-garage-hobbyists-fight-the-pandemic-with-3d-printers |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220527053759/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-22/america-s-garage-hobbyists-fight-the-pandemic-with-3d-printers |archive-date=May 27, 2022 |url-status=live }}
Creality was jointly launched by Chen Chun, Ao Danjun, Liu Huilin, and Tang Jingke.{{cite web |title=The 8th anniversary of Creality was officially launched in Shenzhen |website=China Internet Information Center |date=April 12, 2022 |url=http://science.china.com.cn/2022-04/12/content_41932226.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527105346/http://science.china.com.cn/2022-04/12/content_41932226.htm |archive-date=2022-05-27 |url-status=dead }} Its main products are consumer and industrial-grade 3D printers.{{cite web |title=Shenzhen manufacturing industry resumed work in an orderly manner |website=People's Daily |date=Feb 18, 2020 |url=http://sz.people.com.cn/n2/2020/0218/c202846-33805107.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527054822/http://sz.people.com.cn/n2/2020/0218/c202846-33805107.html |archive-date=2022-05-27 |url-status=live }}
History
In January 2020, Creality launched its 3D printing platform, Creality Cloud.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-11 |title=Creality Cloud: A New Site for Freelance 3D Designers or Artists (Ad) |url=https://all3dp.com/4/creality-cloud-a-new-site-for-freelance-3d-designers-or-artists-ad/ |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=All3DP }}{{Cite web |title=Ultimate Review of Creality Cloud {{!}} 2025 |url=https://www.crealitycloud.com/blog/reviews/creality-cloud-review |access-date=2025-02-07 |website=Ultimate Review of Creality Cloud {{!}} 2025 |language=en}} In April 2021, the company introduced an entry-level 2K monochrome resin 3D printer.{{cite web |last=Bush |first=Steve |title=Creality adds a lower-cost resin printer to its range |website=Electronics Weekly |date=April 26, 2021 |url=https://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/design/creality-adds-lower-cost-resin-printer-range-2021-04/ }}
In April 2023, Creality released the K1 3D printer.{{cite web |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/creality-launches-k1-3d-printer-its-answer-to-bambu-and-prusa-plus-a-slew-of-new-products/ |title=Creality Launches K1 3D Printer: Its Answer to Bambu and Prusa, Plus a Slew of New Products |website=CNET |last=Bricknell |first=James |date=April 9, 2023 }}
In January 2024, after many complaints about the K1, the company released the K1C 3D printer{{cite web |title=Creality Announces K1C 3D Printer's Launch Date, Pricing and Full Specs: New Flagship is a Beast |last=Bertacchi |first=Denise |website=Tom's Hardware |date=January 23, 2024 |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/creality-announces-k1c-3d-printers-launch-date-pricing-and-full-specs-new-flagship-is-a-beast |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241229121233/https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/creality-announces-k1c-3d-printers-launch-date-pricing-and-full-specs-new-flagship-is-a-beast |archive-date=December 29, 2024 |url-status=live }} which fixed many of the K1's shortcomings and allows for Carbon Fibre printing.
In 2025, PioCreat was established as a wholly owned subsidiary of Creality Group. It was founded by the group's co-founder, Fred Liu, who also serves as its General Manager. While leading Creality to the top of the global consumer-grade FDM 3D printing market, Mr. Liu spearheaded the creation of PioCreat to meet enterprise-level needs through advanced industrial solutions.
PioCreat states "Currently, [it] is fully integrated into the Creality ecosystem, offering a comprehensive service chain that includes self-developed materials, cloud-based slicing systems, and global technical support."
Controversies
Creality has a history of GPL violations around the Marlin firmware and other GPL software. The first documented case is from 2018,{{cite web |title=GPL Violations Cost Creality A US Distributor |url=https://hackaday.com/2018/08/27/gpl-violations-cost-creality-a-us-distributor/ |website=Hackaday |author=Tom Nardi |date=August 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240313203245/https://hackaday.com/2018/08/27/gpl-violations-cost-creality-a-us-distributor/ |archive-date=March 13, 2024 |url-status=live }} and Creality continued this behavior until at least 2022.{{cite web |title=3D Printer GPL Violation List |url=https://www.th3dstudio.com/3d-printer-gpl-violation-list/ |website=www.th3dstudio.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109014621/https://www.th3dstudio.com/3d-printer-gpl-violation-list/ |archive-date=November 9, 2023 |url-status=dead }}
In March 2022, Creality was sued by Artec for allegedly plagiarizing Artec Studio's software code.{{cite web |last=Bertacchi |first=Denise |title=Artec Sues Creality For Allegedly Copying 3D Scanner Software, Wants Kickstarter to Withhold Funds From Campaign |work=Tom's Hardware |date=April 8, 2022 |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/news/artec-sues-creality-cr-scan-lizard |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220811013227/https://www.tomshardware.com/news/artec-sues-creality-cr-scan-lizard |archive-date=August 11, 2022 |url-status=live }} The case was filed in the New York Eastern District Court on March 25 and is still pending.{{cite web |title=Artec Europe S.A.R.L. v. Shenzhen Creality 3D Technology Co., LTD. et al (1:22-cv-01676) |website=Law.com |date=March 25, 2022 |url=https://www.law.com/radar/card/artec-europe-sarl-v-schenzen-creality-3d-technology-co-ltd-et-al-44007199-1/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220527132428/https://www.law.com/radar/card/artec-europe-sarl-v-schenzen-creality-3d-technology-co-ltd-et-al-44007199-1/ |archive-date=May 27, 2022 |url-status=dead }}