Distributed Production

Basic Concept

• Production that uses widely available feedstocks, open source production machines, open source product designs, and other common tools that can be deployed inexpensively on a small scale in many locations globally by independent collaborating stakeholders, while maintaining productive efficiencies and quality control to the 3 Sigma level for complex products.

Full Package

OSE proposes, as influenced by the Second Industrial Divide, that a flexible fabrication open source Microfactory cannot be equaled in efficiency and lifecycle stewardship by centralized, global manufacturing and supply chains. OSE is testing this with respect to hot metal process and materials processing facilities integrated into productive enterprises. At the limit, OSE is demonstrating whether local and recycled materials are capable of feeding such productivity. As a case in point, OSE is developing off-grid microfactories that can eradicate the Technology Colony by demonstrating integrated industrial productivity on a small scale.

The roadmap to this starts with 3D printing while using recycled materials, and adding conversion of 3D printed parts to steel and aluminum. After this, we demonstrate that a 200kW induction furnace can be cost competitive with industrial steel production, and can be used to produce sub-mm accuracy metal parts via 3D printing, and more accurate engine parts using CNC machining, using Universal Axis-based CNC systems. The cost of such a facility is proposed to be $100k, including 100kW of PV, 50kW of wind power, an 100kW of hydrogen power.

Research

• Low Cost Induction Furnace for Resource Lmited Scenarios - 100kW prototype at $5k with feedback