Lifetime Design
Contents
Overview
Planned obsolescence is a norm in modern economies, but it's extremely wasteful. Replacing material objects because they break requires human energy, and is one of the main reasons that the Myth of Technology runs our lives.
By introducing lifetime design - we gain at least 10x in resource efficiency - and we believe that will be the natural evolution of human economic systems once the ranks of production swell with enlightened economic actors who follow principles of lifetime design.
Lifetime design requires:
- Open source design - so that technology is transparent and can be fixed. Bills of materials, CAD files, build instructions must be available.
- Design-for-Disassembly
- Modular Design
- Design-for-Repair
- Use of COTS parts
- Local service infrastructure, such as Open Source Microfactories.
How to get there
Opening design, introducing collaborative design open source microfavtories, using modularity, and enabling local service infrastructure will get us there. This relies on making design transparent, parts and blueprints available, Degeneracy, and creation of local enterprise ecosystems based on flexible fabrication, rapid augmented learning, open design, and automation.
An instance would be an open source microfactory, withembership so either you if trained or qualified staff could produce things for you on demand, quickly, from abundant modular, optimized design. Assisted with digital fabrication and advanced production capacity that starts with basic optimized tooling. Facility produces concrete, metal, glass, plastic, engines, precision parts, semiconductors from raw feedstock. Same old same old - requirement is liberated technology. No new tech needed, just reorganization of all known techics.
Warranty Examples
- Briggs and Riley - [1] - lifetime replacement or repair. No proof of purchase needed, no questions asked.
- Roomba - [2]
- Free sharpening - [3]
- Knives - for life, even if you are not the first owner - fix or replace - [4]
Articles
- Entrepreneur magazine article - [5]. In 2005, our team hesitated before offering an unconditional lifetime guarantee; we were initially concerned that people might try to take advantage of the offer. However, we quickly saw that a request for repair or replacement was also a golden opportunity to re-engage and impress our customers. In time, our guarantee became our most valuable word-of-mouth marketing tool.
Websites
Companies and websites that sell lifetime design products:
Lifetimes of Materials
Taken to Lifetime of Materials
Links
- Lifetime design is one of the key OSE Specifications. See more at OSE Specifications#Lifetime Design
- Consumer warranty basics - [6]
