March 19, 2016.



Kansas City, Missouri, USA – at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center

Kauffman Labs, 4801 Rockhill Rd, Kansas City, MO 64110

Note: we also have remote participation options – see under Registration.

Build Yourself. Build Your World.

The Open Source Ecology 3D Printer Workshop is an immersion experience where you build your own 3D printer – in one day. We will be building the most popular DIY 3D printer in the world – which was developed by the open source RepRap project – the Prusa i3.

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This is another workshop where OSE is pioneering its Extreme Manufacturing approach of rapid building with multiple teams working in parallel on modular components.

We are also developing an open source enterprise model for how to run such workshops anywhere in the world. We are publishing our enterprise model openly, including open source supply chains and any supporting information that helps people in a successful startup – without reinventing the wheel.

This workshop is intended for those people who don’t have the time to build a printer themselves – or who don’t think they have the skills to build one – but who are interested in an extremely streamlined and efficient process. The intended audience is also anyone who would consider running Extreme Manufacturing 3D printer workshops as part of their livelihood.

Participants will gain an appreciation for the productivity that happens when we break down the design into clear modules, such that multiple components can be assembled rapidly or in parallel based on clearly defined boundaries. This is an application of the radical modularity that OSE is pioneering, just like we are applying to the heavy machines of the Global Village Construction Set:

We are guaranteeing the participants will walk away with a working, calibrated printer by the end of the day. We are basing this build on a modified version of the Folger Tech Prusa i3 2020. We are adding bed leveling, which we feel is the single most important feature that turns a 3D printer into a turnkey machine – allowing hassle-free operation without having to make bed leveling adjustments. The goal of the automatic bed leveling is to turn the printer into a turnkey machine that just works – no adjustment needed.

We are streamlining the process for high efficiency by:

providing optimized, verified, and timed build procedures

adhering to a strict timeline and procedure designed for each step

defining module boundaries clearly

designing the process as a combination of group and pair build

availing the software on a live USB to eliminate any risk of computer issues, as well as providing all settings, software, and files for turnkey startup

guiding the entire process with quality control procedures that minimize errors by catching mistakes early or eliminating them

providing a complete tool set for the build, and providing parts missing from the kit

promoting a learning environment where not only instructors, but also the participants, are instrumental in teaching others the steps

The day allows plenty of time for a quality build, but not if there are many mistakes – for which case we have detailed quality control checklists. The workshop is further designed such that any catastrophic mistakes have a backup, such as spare parts or assistance from helpers if the timeline is missed.

We will be working in pairs of two as the general rule – both because it’s faster and because it allows one person to recover any mistakes as the other person continues on the schedule. We are offering a 2-for-1 offer if you would like to bring a friend or family member with you for free (you keep one 3D printer). We also have an offer where if you don’t want to take a 3D printer home, you can still participate by assisting another participant. If you do not bring somebody with you, then you either have to be confident in your ability to work effectively – or someone will join you to assist. The process is designed such that a single skilled person can finigh the modules and assembly in 3.5 hours, not counting material preparation and calibration.

The end point of the day will be a successful print, and we will have a Review and Learnings session after the build day over dinner.

Workshop immersion involves concept and practice, and includes a crash course on Open Source Ecology. Participants become engaged in a part of OSE’s development process, where we produce open source blueprints for the infrastructures of civilization. Participants are introduced to basic principles of collaborative literacy – how the collaborative mindset can be used to solve wicked problems.

This workshop is intended for people interested in immersion, hands-on skills training and practical results. This immersion course may be especially useful to people who would like to master their own livelihood by using open source enterprise. We are especially seeking participants with an entrepreneurial mindset to expand open source production into the mainstream. We are exploring the potential of open source economics by determining the limits of social production: can distributed, collaborative, community supported manufacturing (CSM) be an alternative to centralized factories?

The overall workshop is designed for people interested in transitioning from Zero to Steward and Maker. We welcome both complete novices and those with experience, as those with experience will also learn a number of skills. The critical part is willingness to learn.

Have questions? Drop us an email: info at opensourceecology dot org

Instructors