LW was first to use a sold piece of aluminum as a stand platform, no one was doing it. now many do it, and it's just what process "cuts" it out. I dont see how it will hold up in court as it doesn't look anything like Dan's aand it looks very similar to his original platforms just cut out differently using new methods. but who knows I just hate to see this tear apart their friendship.
"Cutting it out" is new. We haven't seen it on the market. Maybe some rich weight weenie DIY'd one, but otherwise it's clearly new. Andrae's lone wolf patent was for casting a stand out of aluminum or other metals. This is very much the opposite of cutting, and results in a cheaper to manufacture, heavier product. They share the common benefits of strength and ability to stay quiet.
I have no idea on whether such a patent (pending, provisional, or otherwise) exists, who holds it, who filed when, etc.
But if you can patent casting a tree stand, you likely can patent waterjet/cnc/etc. Manufacturing one. It's the process applied to a treestand, and doesn't (as andrae's patent didnt) have anything to do with physical appearance. It's all about the unique application of an advantageous process.