Open Source Microfactory Basic Certification

Introduction

The Basic Certification is OSE's affirmation that a client of the Open Source Microfactory STEAM Camp has gained basic competency in collaborative, open source product design, development, and prototyping.

This Certificate is an incentive for participants to learn and document a skill based on granularly-defined learning objectives. By defining the skills gained explicitly, we aim to make the skill set measurable - to incentivize participants' quest for competency.

During the STEAM Camps, participants are encouraged to start a Work Log to document and track their learning. Each of the skill sets below is demonstrated by example - such as embedded editable documents, uploaded CAD files, or a screencast uploaded to YouTube and embedded.

Specifically, the skills that we vouch for are:

• CAD Design Proficiency - This is the ability to design simple and complex designs in FreeCAD using a basic workflow for sketching various geometries, creating solids out of these geometries, and further adding 3D features onto the existing geometries to create just about any design.
• Collaborative CAD Design Proficiency - This is the ability to contribute to Part Libraries and visual version histories that are created as a collaborative effort of multiple people. This involves working with versioned CAD designs, saving CAD parts so they can me merged into a design, and updating files while maintaining a version history.
• Collaboarative Wiki Editing - Starting with a work log on the wiki, this means tracking work so that a larger team can collaborate - in realtime. By using links to work product, file uploads, and a time log - this allows people to view, use, and contribute to others' work. By using a wiki, this process is completely scalable, and is intended for collaborative product development.
• Collaborative Ideation - This means using real-time collaborative documents such as Google Presentations to work as a team on conceptual design. This involves understanding the basics of conceptual design to produce initial design assets that serve as a foundation for the next step of technical design (CAD, etc). Conceptual design assets include concept diagrams, modular breakdowns, analyses of industry standards, evaluation of prior art such as patents, analysis of technical choices, basic cost projects, and available sourcing.