Global Village Construction Set
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Introduction
The Global Village Construction Set is a set of 50 industrial machines that allow for the creation of a small-scale civilization with modern comforts.
See also the Crash Course and GVCS Rollout Plan
Guiding Ideas
- Open Source - we freely publish our 3d designs, schematics, instructional videos, budgets, and product manuals on our open source wiki and we harness open collaboration with technical contributors.
- Low-Cost - The cost of making or buying our machines are, on average, 8x cheaper than buying from an Industrial Manufacturer, including an average labor cost of $15 hour for a GVCS fabricator.
- Modular - Motors, parts, assemblies, and power units can interchange, where units can be grouped together to diversify the functionality that is achievable from a small set of units.
- User-Serviceable - Design-for-disassembly allows the user to take apart, maintain, and fix tools readily without the need to rely on expensive repairmen.
- DIY - (do-it-yourself) The user gains control of designing, producing, and modifying the GVCS tool set.
- Closed Loop Manufacturing - Metal is an essential component of advanced civilization, and our platform allows for recycling metal into virgin feedstock for producing further GVCS technologies - thereby allowing for cradle-to-cradle manufacturing cycles
- High Performance - Performance standards must match or exceed those of industrial counterparts for the GVCS to be viable.
- Flexible Fabrication - It has been demonstrated that the flexible use of generalized machinery in appropriate-scale production is a viable alternative to centralized production.
- Distributive Economics - We encourage the replication of enterprises that derive from the GVCS platform as a route to truly free enterprise - along the ideals of Jeffersonian democracy.
- Industrial Efficiency - In order to provide a viable choice for a resilient lifestyle, the GVCS platform matches or exceeds productivity standards of industrial counterparts.
The Tools
| TOOL | DESCRIPTION | IMAGE | STATUS | PROJECT MANAGER | FORUM DISCUSSION | BLOG | OTHER WIKI ARTICLES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEB Press | A high-performance Compresssed Earth Block press. Compresssed Earth Block building is the highest quality natural building method. The page CEB intro contains introductory information on compressed earth blocks | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/compressed-earth-brick-press.png | COMPLETE AND TESTED! | Marcin Jakubowski | ceb-press | compressed-earth-block-press | Category: CEB |
| Tractor | A versatile, 4-wheel drive, hydraulically-driven, skid-steering tractor with 18 to 200 horsepower capacity for agriculture, construction and other utility duties. | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/lifetrac.png | PROTOTYPE COMPLETE! | Marcin Jakubowski | lifetrac | Category: LifeTrac | |
| Microtractor | a small, 18 hp version of the full-sized tractor for powering a wide range of implements in agricultural and utility duties | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/microtrac.png | PROTOTYPE COMPLETE! | Category: MicroTrac | |||
| Bulldozer | A high-traction, heavy earth-moving machine indispensible for building ponds, berms, and other permacultural earthforms, as well as for other tasks such as building roads or clearing land | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/bulldozer.png | STATUS | ||||
| Power Cube | A multipurpose, self-contained, hydraulic power power unit that consisting of an engine coupled to a hydraulic pump | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/powercube.png | PROTOTYPE COMPLETE! | Marcin Jakubowski | power-cube | power-cube | Category: Power Cube |
| Multimachine | A multipurpose, precision CNC machining and metal cutting device for milling, lathing, drilling to make precision parts; includes surface grinding and cold-cut metal sawing | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/multimachine.png | STATUS | ||||
| Ironworker | A device that can instantly cut steel and punch holes in metal one inch thick | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/ironworker.png | STATUS | ||||
| CNC Torch Table | A computer-controlled cutting table for metal where a moving torch head is used to produce precision metal parts in a fraction of the time that it takes to do so manually | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/torch-table.png | PROTOTYPE COMPLETE! | Category: Torch Table | |||
| 3D Printer | An additive manufacturing technology where a three dimensional object is printed by laying down successive layers of material, just like a printer except in 3D | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/3d-printer.png | COMPLETE AND TESTED! | The RepRap community, led by Adrian Bowyer |
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| 3D Scanner | A device that can generate a 3D digital scan from a real-life object, where the file can be used to reproduce the object in 3D with a device such as the 3D printer or CNC Precision Multimachine | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/3d-scanner.png | STATUS | ||||
| CNC Circuit Mill | A computer-controlled device that can produce electrical circuits by milling and drilling on copper-clad circuit boards | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/circuit-mill.png | STATUS | ||||
| Industrial Robot | A robotic arm which can perform certain human tasks - such as welding or milling – for performing tasks that are not better done by humans | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/robotic-arm.png | IN DEVELOPMENT | Yoonseo Kang |
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| Laser Cutter | An industrial machine that can make precision, finish cuts in a wide array of substrates, such as metal, wood, or plastic | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/laser-cutter.png | IN DEVELOPMENT | The Lasersaur team | |||
| Open Source Welder | A device used to make strong, permanent bonds in metal by melting and fusing the metal | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/mig-welder.png | STATUS | ||||
| Plasma Cutter | A device to cut metal using a plasma torch | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/plasma-cutter.png | STATUS | ||||
| Induction Furnace | An electrical furnace in which the heat is applied by induction heating of metal, providing clean, versatile, compact, energy-efficient, and well-controlled melting compared to flame furnaces | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/induction-furnace.png | IN DEVELOPMENT | induction-furnace | induction-furnace | Category: Induction Furnace | |
| Metal Roller | A metal forming process in which metal stock is passed through a pair of rolls to produce a desired shape, such as flat bar, angle, or u-channel | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/metal-rolling-machine.png | STATUS | ||||
| Rod and Wire Mill | A subset of metal rolling, used to make shafts, rebar, thin rods, and down to wire. | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/wire-n-rod-mill.png | STATUS | ||||
| Press Forge | A device for shaping metal by the application of a shaping die and a continuous pressure or force. | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/forge.png | STATUS | ||||
| Modern Steam Engine | A modern engine where an external heat source is used to turn water into steam, and the steam in turn moves reciprocating pistons to provide shaft power | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/steam-engine.png | IN DEVELOPMENT | Mark J Norton | steam-engine-construction-set | steam-engine-construction-set | Category: Steam Engine |
| Gasifier Burner | A clean and efficient burner that gasifies the material that is being burned prior to combustion | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/gasifier-burner.png | STATUS | ||||
| Steam Generator | A device that generates steam from water that is passed through externally-heated coils | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/steam-generator.png | STATUS | ||||
| Solar Concentrator | An array of mirrors to concentrate sunlight so it can boil water and drive a steam engine. | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/solar-concentrator.png | STATUS | The Solar Fire team | |||
| Wind Turbine | A device that produces electrical power from wind energy | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/wind-turbine.png | STATUS | ||||
| Aluminum Extractor | A device that produces aluminum from clay by dissolving the aluminum from aluminosilicate (clay), and then electrolyzing the resulting compound to form pure aluminum | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/alluminum-extractor.png | STATUS | Edward McCullough | |||
| Pelletizer | A device that compresses shredded pieces of biomass or other substances to compact, flowable pellets | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/pelletizer.png | |||||
| Seeder | A tractor-pulled seeder than can plant any seed, from small seeds like clover to large seeds such as potatoes | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/universal-seeder.png | |||||
| Rototiller | A tractor implement that tills soil with blades via rotary action | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/pulverizer-tiller.png | |||||
| Spader | A set of mechanical shovels that prepare soil for planting without causing a hardpan typical of rototiller tilling | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/spader.png | |||||
| Microcombine | A small-scale harvester-thresher for mechanical harvesting of any grain crops, with a cutting swath of about 3 feet in width | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/microcombine.png | |||||
| Universal Rotor | A tractor-mounted rotor that can be fitted with a wide array of toolheads, such as string trimmer, posthole digger, tree planting auger, slurry mixer, and many others | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/universal-rotor.png | |||||
| Baler | A device that compresses hay and other light and dispersed materials into more compact bales | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/baler.png | |||||
| Hay Rake | A mechanical implement for a tractor that rakes hay or other light materials into windrows or other formations for drying or baling | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/hay-rake.png | |||||
| Hay Cutter | A device that cuts grass, hay, straw, or other light biomass for haying, baling, or combining | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/hay-cutter.png | |||||
| Backhoe | A piece of excavating equipment or digger consisting of a digging bucket on the end of a two-part articulated arm for digging trenches or large holes | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/backhoe.png | |||||
| Chipper/Hammermill | A machine used for reducing wood or other materials into smaller parts, such as chips or shreds | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/chipper-hammermill.png | |||||
| Trencher | A piece of construction equipment that uses a cutting wheel for digging trenches, laying pipe, cable, or drainage | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/trencher.png | |||||
| Open Source Car | A wheeled motor vehicle for transporting people | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/automobile.png | |||||
| Open Source Truck | A larger version of an automobile with a bed for transporting loads | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/truck.png | |||||
| Dimensional Sawmill | A dimensional sawmill is a circular blade sawmill with 2 blades that is used for producing dimensional lumber in one pass | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/sawmill.png | |||||
| Cement Mixer | A device that homogeneously combines cement, aggregate such as sand or gravel, and water to form concrete | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/cement-mixer.png | |||||
| Well-Drilling Rig | A device for digging deep water wells | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/well-drilling-rig.png | |||||
| Bakery Oven | A device for heating various forms of dough into breads and other baked goods | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/industrial-bread-oven.png | |||||
| Dairy Milker | A device which harvests milk automatically from milk-producing livestock | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/milking-machine.png | |||||
| Electric Motor/Generator | A device that functions as a motor when energized with a voltage, which can also function as an electrical generator when it is spun. | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/electric-motor-generator.png | |||||
| Hydraulic Motor | A mechanical actuator that converts high-pressure fluid flow into rotation | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/hydraulic-motor.png | |||||
| Bioplastic Extruder | An extruder takes a charge of plastic and extrudes a sheet or other profile of useful form, such as greenhouse glazing or water tubing | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/plastic-extruder.png | |||||
| Universal Power Supply | This is a combination power supply for applications from off-grid power to supplying power to welders, induction furnaces, and plasma cutters. | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/universal-power-supply.png | |||||
| Nickel Iron Batteries | Long-life batteries that have a track record of lasting 50 or more years | http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/nickel-iron-batteries.png | |||||
| Drill press | 
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PROTOTYPE COMPLETE! | drill-press | Category: Drill Press |
Want to add another tool?
If you think another technology belongs on the GVCS list, follow this procedure -
- Read the OSE Specifications and answer the questionnaire.
- If the tool scores highly on the questionnaire and meets most of the OSE specifications, start a thread on the forum with a title beginning "Proposed Tool:" (e.g. "Proposed Tool: Washing Machine"). You may be challenged, and will have to convince the community that it is realistic and worth pursuing.
- If the consensus on the forum is in favor of adding the tool to the GVCS, feel free to edit the list above to add the new tool
- By proposing the tool, you take responsibility for it. You become project manager for that tool, and will have to build and prototype it yourself, or else recruit and manage someone who can.
Proposed tools
- Loader - an attachment for the LifeTrac tractor
- Village-scale washing machine - powered by the universal rotor
- Fridge - see the page on refrigeration
- Reversible heat pump - for controlling the temperature of homes and greenhouses, refrigerating food and medicine, harnessing solar and geothermal heat
- Stirling engine - transforms heat into mechanical energy
- Spectrometer and computer oscilloscope - adding these to the GVCS would form a complete Fab Lab. Most of the work will be done by other open-source groups.
- Juice Press - A juice press powered by the Power Cube.
- Log Splitter - A log splitter powered by the Power Cube.
Enterprise Community Contract
Enabling Technology - Salient Features of Technology Base
Without going into details, the main features for the comprehensive technology base are:
- Hybridization of power devices - decoupling of power source from the working unit in order to produce electrical drive is a formula for increasing integrated efficiency of electromechanical devices such as electric vehicles, tools, heavy equipment, etc. For example, the hybrid car decouples the engine from its wheels by using an electrical generator to feed electric wheel motors. Note that this eliminates the clutch, transmission, crank case and its oil, differential, drive train, and other parts, and replaces these items with electric wire from the generator to electric motor. This is a huge efficiency leap, one in fuel efficiency, and two, in eliminating billions of dollars of industry which is outdated today due to the hybridization option. As such, we can talk of complex machines with huge simplification, assuming easy access to infinitely scaleable and controllable, low cost electric motors (these do not exist today). For example, we can envision an agricultural combine where each moving part is powered by its own electric motor - producing a leap in simplification and maintenance of the overall machine - as all belts, pulleys, gears, and other power transmission components driven by a single engine - are all replaced by electric wire. One can point to many examples where such strategy would provide leapfrog advance in device simplicity and maintenance.
- Solar turbine power generation including heat storage - look at Solar Turbine CHP System
- Open source fab lab - combine and expand the [1] with xyz table as in RepRap (http://reprap.org/), and you can envision a robust fabrication device that integrates open source computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM). This device would perform a large variety of machining and fabrication operations, and would be producible at the cost of materials if metal casting is available. When deployed, we are talking of producing any advanced object or device at the cost of materials. Would you like to fabricate an electric motor for your personal transport vehicle? Here, I'll email you a file to make on your local village fabber. In practice, one could conceptualize a single or several Multimachines, with their milling-drilling-lathing functions, surrounding an xyz motion platform with interchangeable heads. These heads could include acetylene torch attachment, plasma cutter, CO2 laser, router, hot wire, or additive heads such as a plastic extruder found in RepRap. This overall fab lab concept could start with a basic machine such as the Multimachine, with computer controls and table added in time. As such, this is a realistic proposition - with supporting open source knowhow with significant advancement already available. This propels civilization to new levels of decentralized material prosperity, and implies significant reduction of resource conflicts, especially if material feedstocks are sourced locally - as in the next point.
Here is an initial Fab Lab design:
Here is a sample Product Matrix that falls right out of Fab Lab capacities:
- Production of local feedstocks-
- Wood and structural masonry compressed earth block (CEB) for construction - produced from on-site trees and soils
- Compressed Fuel Gas for cooking or melting metal - gas produced from trees
- Bioplastics - such as cellophane from trees
- Biofuels - Fuel Alcohol in temperate zones, palm oil in tropical zones
- Industrial detritus (waste materials) processing - includes Metal Casting and Extrusion or Plastic Extrusion & Molding
- Aluminum Extraction From Clays
Sample Scenario
Imagine a village with buildings of dirt (CEB) with year-round greenhouses (sawmill, CEB, bioplastics from local trees), with all facility energy produced by a solar turbine, where people drive hybrid cars with car bodies (bioplastics) made from local weeds, with critical motors and metal structures (aluminum) extracted from on-site clay, which are fueled by alcohol produced on-site, on a wireless network linked to the greater world. That's just a sampling of the technology base. Food, energy, housing sufficiency. There are no poor among us - because we are all evolving human beings and farmer scientists.
Development process
OSE Spec
Working Assumptions
See Also
- Product Ecologies - Illustrates how the different components of the GVCS relate with one another
- Tool Descriptions - Describes each of the GVCS Tools
- Crash Course
- GVCS Rollout Plan
- GVCS Thumbs - for media remixing.
| OSE Required Reading | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Wiki instructions · Crash course on OSE · Global Village Construction Set · Getting Started Guide · Team Culturing · Version control - Genealogies | |||