mit innovation lab march 2010

OutlineOutline

•Introducing RepRap (short)•Incentives for participation in open communities•Is open hardware fundamentally different?•Constraints to open hardware•The distributed production edge•What does the community look like? How does it compare to institutional production?•How is it an enabler to more open hardware

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Short introduction: RepRapShort introduction: RepRap

Technology / machine•Replicating•Rapid Prototyper (flexible production)

Community / project ,

IncentivesIncentives

“It's NOT all about the money!”

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RepRap TechnologyRepRap Technology

Reprap Darwin - version 1.0

Reprap Mendel - version 2.0

RepRap version 3.0?

Video

Self AssemblySelf AssemblyParts for self assembling systems that can be 3D printed

Evolving mechanicsEvolving mechanics

Print yourself: 50 cents vs. 88 euros commercially

ModularUseful for experimentation and custom setups

IntegratedTurn-key solution

Evolutie: electronicaEvolutie: electronica

Parametric design(OpenSCAD)

Evolving softwareEvolving software

Parametric design(OpenSCAD)

Evolving softwareEvolving software

thingiverse.com/thing:591

Evolving output qualityEvolving output quality

RepRap CommunityRepRap Community

Who is doing it?

Why are they doing it?

How do they collaborate?

Distributed problem solving process

In numbersIn numbers

• Growth• 2008, ca. 100+ (20% very active)• 2009, ca. 1000+• 2010, ca. 3000+ 

• Diverse group• Diverse knowledge• Diverse motives

Community growthCommunity growth• Adoption shows an exponential curve• Why is this so important?

Bron: von Hippel E. Innovation Communities. In: Democratizing Innovation. Cambridge: MIT Press; 2007:93.

User innovationUser innovation

ArtistsArtists

Printing in ceramics:

ArtistsArtists

• Printing XXL (e.g. a chair, a kayak?)

F

Linus' Law in hardwareLinus' Law in hardware

• Problem: Leaking extruder• Incentive: Problem was worse for me. (varying

constraints)• Fix: Obvious to some. Probably was suggested

before.• Implemented: • Bonus points: fixed weak spots in material (thin

walls, weakest link determines the stength of the chain). Perhaps even more important as this cannot be fixed afterwards, causes mechanical failure.

Linus' Law in hardwareLinus' Law in hardware

Distributed Mfg. and supply chainsDistributed Mfg. and supply chains

Producer to user, or more?Reverse supply chain exampleOutsource an engineering problem: mouse

Outsourced: Outsourced: Mouse problem challengeMouse problem challenge

• Thingiverse.com

Ecosystem entitiesEcosystem entities

• Fabrication innovation communities• Commercial 3D printer vendors• Maker networks• FabLabs & Hackerspaces• Universities (RepRap as PhD)

Ecosystem entitiesEcosystem entities

RepRap.org - Makerbot.com -

← research ← modular← open← good for collaboration    

BitsFromBytes.com - Stratasys Inc.

    productized →       integrated →

      closed →good for commercialization →

Open Hardware FundingOpen Hardware Funding

SW = time

HW = time + money 

How is it funded?

FundingFunding

• “It's all about the money”?• Hardware costs money. Do we need

organizations for Open Source R&D into hardware?

Open Source Fusionpowered by 

3D printed parts

• Online proposal for an open source standard construction kit

• Extruded aluminium beam• Suitable for mass production:

high up-front costs

• Suitable for mass production:high up-front costs

• Crowdfunded by 132 people• > 17k in pledges received in

months• Manufactured and distributed!

Open Source EcologyOpen Source Ecology

Crowdfunded experiment

www.openfarmtech.org

Torch table - $1500 (average donation $ 100-150)

Workshop building - $4000

Individual donations - such as $5000 commitment to induction furnace.

$ 700 monthly from 'true fan' subscriptions.

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Open Source EcologyCommitted to developing and sharing designs and

techniques.

Energy systems

→ generators, solar concentrators, DIY biodiesel

Housing

→ brick press

Flexible fabrication

→ open source backhoe, RepRap, CNC plasma cutter

Permaculture (sustainable farming)

→ open source tractor

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MakerbotMakerbot

Apple Acquires MakerbotApple Acquires Makerbot

 Introducing the:

 iMake

User innovationUser innovationin open source, commercial productsin open source, commercial products

•Their 'customers' are modifying and improving 'their' product, •adding extensions, •making software tools, •generating printable content,•testing materials,•trying out innovative applications

Fabrication networksFabrication networks

Skills to prototype complex products

CloudFab

Commercialization or other diffusionCommercialization or other diffusion

When the scaling characteristics of domestic fabrication are favourable, diffusion other than commercial diffusion becomes possible.

Raison d'etrecommercial vendor benefits:scaling characteristics of mfg. and distributionbrand (solving the issues, support, someone who's responsible)Not: innovative capability If the distribution characteristic change informal distribution

proliferates.

time

# of usersperceivingneed

Crowd manufacturingCrowd manufacturing

•Customers can earnback their machines.

•Customers benefitfrom more Makerbotusers who generallyimprove the product,make content or other-wise generate value.

User innovation pathways

time

# of usersperceivingneed

Users starting to innovate here

Manufacturers can produce more cheaply here

Free sharing or user manufacturing

Users in communities can innovate more cheaply here

Users and user communities bridge periods of technical and market risk in which manufacturers would not start investing!

Thingiverse.comThingiverse.com

• Sustainable source of innovative, user generated products

• Challenge...

Thingiverse.comThingiverse.com

Thingiverse

Evolving infrastructureEvolving infrastructure

ThingiverseThingiverse

A PRODUCT, IN ONE DAY?

DESIGN+

MARKET+

MANUFACTURE+

DISTRUBUTEto at least 3 continents

New distribution modelsNew distribution models

DiscussionDiscussion

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More infoMore info

Main project:

www.RepRap.org

Companies:

www.Makerbot.com

www.BitsFromBytes.com

Other projects:

www.makerbeam.com

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www.Thingiverse.com

Videos:

www.youtube.com/erikdb

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/ErikDeBruijn

My Company:

www.BudgetDedicated.com

Thank you!Thank you!

www.erikdebruijn.nl

info@erikdebruijn.nl

http://www.RepRap.org