OSE Development Priorities

This page is required reading for all individuals who are considering becoming OSE Developers:

The work of OSE for 2017 involves 4 major milestones, for which we are recruiting collaborators:

• Q1: Developing the 3D Printer as a full release
• Q2: Extending the 3D Printer construction set platform to produce a CNC Oxyfuel Torch Table, which can be used to cut steel for building OSE's heavy machines
• Q3: Applying the CNC torch table to build the next iteration of the tractor, backhoe, sawmill, and other construction-related machines
• Q4: Applying the OSE construction machines in the second iteration of the Seed Eco-Home.

We are looking for individuals with a basic requirement of (1) downloading and using the OSE Linux distribution for development work; (2) keeping a work log on the OSE wiki (see example such as Marcin Log to promote open collaboration with a large distributed team; (3) learning FreeCAD to produce 3D CAD, which is one of the central activities involved in OSE work. We allot a 2 week learning period for candidates to study FreeCAD 101, and to pass a basic FreeCAD Competency Test.

The product roadmap rationale is to provide financial bootstrapping for OSE growth, and to push forward the OSE prototyping agenda aggressively:

• The 3D printer is aimed at replication as a Build Workshop Enterprise (see [[OSE Workshops for sample workshop offerings) - where people pay for an immersion experience. The goal is producing 12-50 3D printers in a single workshop, where people have the option to take a finished 3D printer with them. OSE is currently developing this as a stable funding model for its operations, while making this replicable by others by keeping all of the supporting assets (designs, organizational assets) free and accessible to the public.
• The CNC torch table is a natural extension of our 3D Printer Construction Set, and a powerful tool necessary in rapid manufacturing of other OSE machines. The logic of releasing both the 3D Printer and the CNC Torch Table is to help other OSE developers to engage in rapid prototyping as part of the OSE collaboration.
• The CNC Torch Table facilitates rapid prototyping of all of our construction machines.
• The construction machines in turn facilitate incremental improvement of the Seed Eco-Home, with our next milestone being to produce lumber, block, and plumbing fittings from local and recycled materials. This would bring the materials cost down significantly.