Open Source Microfactory Boot Camp

Narrative

3D printing and open source micromanufacturing, in its infancy, has great potential for distributing production. We start with a 3D printer, learn how to build one, and set up an online printing service for producing parts. In order to expand our enterprise - and enable the printing of large objects at low cost - we diversify into producing 3D printing filament from scrap plastic. We grind down scrap plastic, extrude it into 3D printing filament with our filament maker, and then wind it onto spools with the filament winder. Produced at a cost of only 10 cents per lb - we have inexpensive 3D printing filament that is almost free. So we can run an online 3D printing service successfully.

Can we then develop high value products that are competitive with standard consumer goods? That is our goal. So we collaborate on the Open Source Everything Store, where we design a whole catalog of products that compete with Amazon and Walmart - but are designed and produced locally. Household consumer goods total a $20T global market - so the pie is large and there is plenty of room for collaboration. It turns out that with 3D printing, a CNC Circuit Mill, and a small laser cutter/engraver - and a bunch of readily available, off-the-shelf parts - we can produce a whole range of useful products, and thus begin to effect manufacturing in a substantial way. We are excited, and want to spread the word. So we run public workshops teaching people to build these machines, and how to design products that can be made with these machines - using a completely open source toolchain. We take this to our local libraries, schools, events - and involve thousands of people in collaborative product design. We teach people about massive parallel swarm-based development techniques - and every child and grandmother begin designing their own products and publishing the plans on the internet for free. The depth of local manufacturing increases - and people begin making more of the parts that would normally be purchased - such as motors and power supplies. We democratize the face of manufacturing - converting consumers to producers...

That is the narrative we'd like to see happen, and the 1 week OSE Boot Camp is an introduction to how to do this in practice. Some may say that this is already happening - but 3D printing and distributed manufacturing has not taken much of a hold in terms of replacing consumer goods. The key is high quality, proven designs - not fringe things on 3D printing websites that in many cases cannot even be printed. The key is engaging enough cooperation - that all the possible products truly become best-in-class - while remaining fully open source. We not only show you that this new mindset is possible - but how to build the actual production tools - and how to leverage massive collaborative development processes - so that we democratize product development on the face of this earth. Perhaps the greatest single impact is environmental - as people learn to build their products - they also know how to fix them - thereby putting an end to the throw-away society - with lifetime design that can be modified, improved, or recycled back into feed-stocks. Our aim in the OSE Boot Camp is to introduce people to the first steps in seizing democratic control of production.

Schedule

Day 1 - Intro + 3D Printer

Morning - We start with the open source design software, how to design a 3D printer using our Universal Axis system, and then build a 3D printer from scratch in the afternoon. We use common, off-the-shelf materials and 3D printed parts, so that the builds can replicate themselves widely around the world. This day only is open to the public for others who want to participate in a swarm build of 3D printers.

• 1 hr - Theory - introductions and OSE introduction. The world of public domain and open source.
• 1 hr - Practice - FreeCAD - designing parts from sketches
• 1 hr - Theory - How to Design a 3D Printer. Part list, build procedure.
• 1 hr - Practice - Building a 3D Printer.

Afternoon -

• 4 hr - Building a 3D printer from scratch
• 2 hr - calibration, printing, slicing

Day 2 - 3D Print Cluster + Filament Maker

Morning - Did you ever think about producing useful products that can be part of a circular economy? Here we teach you how you can start your own microfactory at home - which you can connect to the internet as an on-demand printing service. To reduce the cost of 3D printing filament, we will teach you how to produce your own 3D printing filament from scrap plastic. Thus, the transition to distributed, closed loop production can start right at your home.

8 AM Start

• 1 hr - Theory - How to Set up a Print Cluster Server with Octoprint
• 1 hr - Practice - Connecting a print cluster and doing production printing
• 1 hr - Theory - Filament Maker. How to design power and Heating Systems for the 3D printing ecosystem - power supplies, heated beds, Nichrome Calculator, extruder heaters, heated build chambers, filament maker heaters, extruder screw design. Insulation, cooling, mechanics, power calculations for scalability.
• 1 hr - Practice - Cranking out filament from scrap plastic (not commercial pellets)
• Lunch - Conversation with E3D on Extruder Design, Large Filament, and Supersized Extruders
• Lunch - Conversation with Octoprint team on 3D Print Clusters

Afternoon

• 1 hr - Theory - How to build and use a filament width sensor
• 1 hr - Practice - Printing with Home Made Filament
• 1 hr - Theory - Ordering parts for the 3D Printer and CNC Circuit Mill
• 1 hr - Practice - Setting up an Online 3D Printing Service.

Dinner - 6-7 PM. 7 PM End

Day 3 - Ciruit Mill + Electronics

Morning - Besides 3D printed plastic parts, many consumer goods contain circuits. We will learn how to design circuits with open source software, and how to mill them using an open source CNC Circuit Mill. As an example, we will build an open source power supply for the 3D printer.

• 1 hr - Practice - KiCAD - from basics to using part libraries and design
• 1 hr - Theory and Practice - CNC Circuit Mill Design Guide + design with FreeCAD Part Library
• 1 hr - Thoery and Practice - milling with a CNC circuit mill: producing Gcode files, bed leveling, soldering

Afternoon

• 1 hr - Theory and Practice - Stepper Drivers - wiring up a larger Stepper Driver System with RAMPS
• 1 hr - PID Controllers, Relays, and MOSFETs

Day 4 - Filament Maker

• 1 hr - Theory - How to Design a Filament Maker
• 1 hr - Practice - Making filament from scrap plastic using the open source filament maker

Day 5 - Small Laser Cutter

• 1 hr - Theory - How to Design a Laser Cutter
• 1 hr - Practice - Laser Cutter Toolchain, from design to cutting or etching.

Day 6 - Collaborative Design and the Open Source Everything Store

• 1 hr - Theory - Why Production Has Not Been Democratized - Yet - and the Possibilities
• 1 hr - Practice - Setting up an incentive design challenge online - an Add-On to the Open Source Microfactory Challenge
• 1 hr - Theory - Open Source Product Development - Modular Design and Collaboration Architecture
• 1 hr - Practice - A Design Sprint for an Open Source Cordless Tool Add-On

Afternoon

• 1 hr - Theory - Printing of large objects, composites, metals, and more.
• 1 hr - Practice - Printing greenhouse glazing and applying UV resistant coating,
• 1 hr - Theory - The Open Source Everything Store - a Global Distributive Enterprise
• 1 hr - Practice - Role allocation for the next day's build

Day 7 - Build Workshop

With all the learnings of the 6 days, it's time for a road trip to the University of Kansas to experience a real life workshop in practice. How do we build a large 3D Printer, in one day? We will collaborate as a swarm, and

Logistics

• The OSE Boot Camp is limited to 12 participants (not including the OSE Fellows program)
• Arrival - evening before, with a welcome introduction at 8 PM.
• Food - food is included in the program
• Lodging - we have 12 spots available on site in shared-room accommodations, otherwise you can get a hotel in Cameron, MO