GVCS Home List
From Open Source Ecology
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[edit] Overview
A 3D printer is an additive manufacturing technology that enables automated construction of complex sub-assemblies via layered deposition. The technology is similar to a traditional printer, but with an additional z axis. As a central backbone of Digital Fabrication, the end goal of 3D printers is to be able to print anything.
[edit] Details
While 3D printers are additive, they bear a close resemblance to subtractive manufacturing CNC milling machines.
[edit] Product Ecology
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[edit] Status
See past work related to Factor e Farm at RepRap Build.
Currently 3D printer designs are being researched, with the goal of full integration into the Product Ecology of GVCS technologies.
3D printer technology is currently undergoing a flourishing of innovation. As a relatively new technology (2003), many experimental designs and techniques are being explored by thousands of groups worldwide.
[edit] See Also
- Comparison of 3D Printers
- RepRap Build
- RepLab
- 3D Ceramic
- Stepper Motor
- MIT Machines that Make
- Electron Beam Melting
- Sintering
| GVCS Home List | ||
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| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
3D Scanners enable near-instantaneous input of spatial data into digital systems. The technology is currently undergoing a massive flourishing of innovation as the underlying hardware becomes ubiquitous. As a part of the GVCS 50, it enables a suite of powerful applications.
Applications
- CAD
- Rapid Prototyping
- Workshop Control
- Automation Programming
- Robotic Systems
- Training
[edit] Details
[edit] Product Ecology
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[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
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| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Aluminum Extractor extracts raw aluminum from alumina common clay (alumina silicate).
[edit] Detail
Using a closed-loop cycle involving hydroflouric acid and a large amount of electricity, it is possible to extract raw aluminum directly from clay deposits. This is in contrast to the typical aluminum extraction technique from strategic bauxite mineral reserves.
[edit] Product Ecology
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[edit] Components
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
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| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Backhoe is a piece of excavating equipment used for digging holes and trenches.
[edit] Details
They are typically mounted on the back of a tractor or front loader, this one is mounted on a LifeTrac. It consists of a digging bucket on the end of a two-part articulated arm. The section of the arm closest to the vehicle is known as the boom, and the section which carries the bucket is known as the dipper or dipperstick (the terms "boom" and "dipper" having been used previously on steam shovels). The boom is attached to the vehicle through a pivot known as the kingpost, which allows the arm to slew left and right, usually through a total of around 200 degrees. Modern backhoes are powered by hydraulics.
The backhoe is one of the most basic dirt working tools and is a common attachment to many small tractor and skid-steer vehicles. It can be used for digging trenches for foundations, digging up material to make compressed earth blocks, digging waste pits, and many other common building/farming tasks. Furthermore, by attaching a chain to the bucket, the backhoe can be used to lift and transport heavy loads such as engine blocks, battery packs, long pieces of pipe, etc.
Commercially manufactured backhoes vary greatly in their size and capabilities and therefore vary significantly in price. A quick google search seems to indicate that relatively small, simple devices like the one we are considering range from 2 to 4 thousand dollars with more sophisticated attachments approaching 10 thousand dollars.
[edit] Product Ecology
Made with
Creates
[edit] Components
- Scoop
- Hydraulics
- Arm
- QA Plate
[edit] Status
The Backhoe is currently in the Research Phase of product development.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
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| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The bakery oven is a device for heating various forms of dough into breads and other baked goods.
[edit] Detailed Description
The bakery oven provides a seal-contained volume in which various forms of dough can be placed for temperature-controlled and timed heating. The bakery oven accommodates trays for multi-level baking as well as accessibility for opening, cleaning, and performing maintenance.
[edit] Solution Statement
The bakery oven fulfills the role of expanding the food possibilities attained through grains, being the final step to a fully prepared, edible meal.
The bakery oven completes an agricultural pathway for food that involves the harvesting and use of grain.
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will need a mill too like: link small mills
[edit] Status
The Bakery Oven is currently in the research phase of product development.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
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| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
A Baler compresses hay and other light and dispersed materials into more compact bales.
[edit] Detail
A Baler is a piece of farm machinery used to compress a cut and raked crop (such as hay, cotton, straw, or silage) into compact bales that are easy to handle, transport and store. Several different types of balers are commonly used, each producing a different type of bales – rectangular or cylindrical, of various sizes, bound with twine, strapping, netting, or wire.
[edit] Product Ecology
Uses
Induction Furnace - Steel
CNC Torch Table - Parts
Works with
Tractor - Mounting
Power Cube - Power
Pelletizer - Pellets
Creates
- Bales
[edit] Components
- Frame
- Roller
- Hydraulic Motor
[edit] Status
About to enter the prototyping phase as a part of the GVCS Rollout Plan, the Baler is soon to be reverse engineered and upgraded to meet OSE Spec.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
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| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Bioplastic Extruder enables plastics production.
"Plastics extrusion is a high volume manufacturing process in which raw plastic material is melted and formed into a continuous profile. Extrusion produces items such as pipe/tubing, weather stripping, fence, deck railing, window frames, adhesive tape and wire insulation." - (wikipedia)
[edit] Detailed Description
We aim to develop computer-controlled tools that can make plastic parts of any shape. 'Extrusion' means squeezing out a long shape; extruding a circle gives you a cylinder. Extruded plastic forms include sheets, tubes, and others. Greenhouse glazing made of polycarbonate, or UV-stabilized polyethylene, water pipes for plumbing and irrigation, plastic shapes and sheets are all doable with slight modifications of a basic extruder. The key may be a ram extruder (simple design) with inductive heating, to which various dies are adapted for profiles (extrusion), or molds for shapes (injection molding), or blowers and molds (blow molding).
With these tools, cheap feedstocks can produce very expensive products. For instance, polyethylene resin costs less than 15 cents/lb (at a density of 50 lb/cubic ft (800g/l)). When extruded into panes of Solexx glass, the end product costs $1/square foot ($10.76/m2). This makes the end product about 20 times more valuable than the feedstock. If an extruder is available - combined with the know-how - then localized production of such glazing could probably yield cost predictions of something marginally higher than material costs, under the DIY-flexible enterprise scenario.
The challenge is procuring the know-how for extruder fabrication and material extrusion. The material costs are expected to be around $5k for the machine - structure, hydraulic ram, inductive heating, and die.
[edit] Bioplastics
Bioplastics are the perfect addition to an integrated farm and forestry operation. An effective open-source method of producing bioplastics will allow communities to be self-sufficient in the raw materials for many modern comforts. Bioplastics promise to replace the many useful products we currently extract from oil. Combined with plastic extrusion and molding machines such as RepRap, bioplastics enable a local manufacturing process that starts with food waste or soil and creates computer and phone casings, car and machine parts, toys and tools, screws and sculptures.
[edit] Product Ecology
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[edit] OSE Project Status/Schedule
The bioplastic extruder project is currently in research phase. Subject matter experts are encouraged to contact us.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
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| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Bulldozer is a high-traction, earth-moving machine indispensible to building ponds, berms, or other earth-moving tasks such as building roads or clearing land. See Bulldozer Specification
[edit] Details
Most often, bulldozers are large and powerful tracked heavy equipment. The tracks give them excellent ground hold and mobility through very rough terrain. Wide tracks help distribute the bulldozer's weight over a large area (decreasing pressure), thus preventing it from sinking in sandy or muddy ground. Extra wide tracks are known as 'swamp tracks'. Bulldozers have excellent ground hold and a torque divider designed to convert the engine's power into improved dragging ability. The Caterpillar D9, for example, can easily tow tanks that weigh more than 70 tons. Because of these attributes, bulldozers are used to clear areas of obstacles, shrubbery, burnt vehicles, and remains of structures.
The GVCS variant is being pursued as a Tractor bladed retrofit with lower torque, and additional weight
[edit] Product Ecology
Made with
- Induction Furnace - Steel
- Tractor - Base
- CNC Torch Table - Parts
Welder - Attachment
- Power Cube - Power
Creates
[edit] Components
- Hydraulics
- Blade
- Blade Lift
- Ripper
- Cab
- Tracks
[edit] Status
The Bulldozer is currently in the Research Phase of Product Development.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
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| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Open Source 
Car is an automobile designed for transporting passengers.
[edit] Team Wikispeed
Joe Justice and Team Wikispeed are awesome and we're planning a formal partnership!
The instructions for copying Team Wikispeed's SGT01 car design are currently being built. You can find them here Wikispeed_SGT01
[edit] Detailed Description
The OS Car will be a lightweight and aerodynamic two passenger long range car that will be fueled with ethanol biodiesel. The current plan is for the car to have a reverse trike configuration: two front wheels and one rear wheel which is the only driven wheel. The two main benefits of the reverse trike design are lower cost and weight due to one less wheel, and lower wind drag due to the rain drop shape of the body. The construction of the car will be a steel space frame covered with non-structural polymer or composite panels. The proposed powertrain is a hybrid hydraulic system which includes a single cylinder engine that runs a hydraulic pump which directly powers a hydraulic wheel motor used to drive the car and which compresses a gas in an accumulator to store energy. Gas in the accumulator will also be compressed via regenerative braking when the hydraulic motor is run in reverse to slow the car down. Cost control and quick development will be maintained by using donor vehicle parts and off-the-shelf parts. Components that cannot be easily manufactured such as brake calipers, steering knuckles, and rims will be sourced from a donor vehicle and components such as instruments, wiring, and hydraulic components will be off-the-shelf components.
As the car design matures, some components from donor vehicles and off-the-shelf components can be replaced by scratch-built open source components. If desired, forks can be spawned from the original project for variants such a four or five passenger car, or perhaps a car with a hybrid electric powertrain.
[edit] Product Ecology
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[edit] Status
The Open Source Car is currently in the Research Phase of product development.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
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| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The "Liberator" Compressed Earth Block Press is a machine that makes compressed earth blocks (CEBs).
The CEB Press takes earth/dirt/soil and compresses it tightly to make solid blocks useful for building. Compressed earth blocks have many advantages as a building material: by making the building materials from the readily available dirt on the building site, they eliminate the need to transport bricks from elsewhere, reducing the financial cost and environmental impact of transport. Compressed earth blocks are very strong and insulate well against both heat and sound, making for very energy-efficient building (especially combined with the energy savings from not needing to transport them from offsite). Best of all, the material they use is already on-site and does not need to be purchased -- quite literally, dirt-cheap! See the wiki page on Compressed Earth Blocks and the CEB category for more details on building using CEBs.
The Liberator has been fully designed and tested by the Open Source Ecology team. Because the Liberator is an open source technology, you can freely download instructions to build your own from materials you can obtain yourself, or contact opensourceecology[at]gmail[dot]com to buy a kit or a finished machine.
Building a machine yourself might seem intimidating, but every step of the process is fully documented and the OSE community is available on our discussion forums if you need help, advice, or a little hand-holding.
Using the CEB Press, two people can build a 6 foot high (1.83m) round wall, 20 feet (6.1m) in diameter, 1 foot (30cm) thick, in one 8 hour day, though construction time will vary somewhat depending on preparation time, what equipment is available (tractor to prepare the ground and move the blocks where they need to go), the quality of the soil, and other factors. The bigger the block size, the faster a wall can be erected, but at the cost of heavier blocks that are more of a strain to work with. Blocks from The Liberator average 25 pounds (11.3kg).
See CEB Design for more information.
[edit] Updates
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[edit] Status
- Currently the CEB is at product release status and is being actively manufactured at Factor e Farm and in Texas. The presses will be used heavily as a part of the Factor e Farm Infrastructure Buildout 2011.
- The CEB documentation is being actively upgraded to meet Fabrication_Procedure_Standards with the goal of serving as a reference implementation for GVCS documentation.
- Eventually the torch table will be used to automate the fabrication of the CEB machine, reducing fabrication time by an estimated 20 hours and, thus, the cost to build the machine.
- The first independent replication is in process as of Sep. 2, 2011, by James Slade and Jason Smith in Texas.
[edit] See Also
| Cement Mixer | ||
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| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 
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[edit] Overzicht
Een 'Cement Mixer' (ook vaak betonmolen genoemd) is een apparaat een homogene massa maakt van cement, zand of grinden water om beton te vormen.>Template:Cite web</ref>
[edit] Gedetailleerde beschrijving
Een betonmixer (ook vaak genoemd cement mixer) is een apparaat dat gebruikt wordt om de bereiding van cement te automatiseren door het te mengen met andere aggregaten, zoals zand of grind en water concrete vormen. Een typische betonmolen gebruikt een draaiende trommel, waarin de componenten automatisch gemengd. Het verkregen mengsel wordt gebruikt als een van de belangrijkste elementen van de bouw.
Concrete is meer dan enig ander mens gemaakte materiaal in de wereld gebruikt. Als onderdeel van de GVCS ontsluit een aantal gebouw technieken en methoden, afhankelijk van de kenmerken van het milieu en type structuur te bouwen.
[edit] Product Ecology
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[edit] OSE Project Status/Schedule
The concrete mixer is currently in development and is undergoing CAD stages of design. It is considered a priority for the 2011 Infrastructure Buildout, as a part of the GVCS Rollout
[edit] See Also
[edit] Links
| GVCS Home List | ||
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| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Chipper Hammermill is a combination device that chips and hammers biomass into a uniform size useful for processing in the Pelletizer.
[edit] Details
[edit] Product Ecology
Made with
- Induction Furnace - Steel
- CNC Torch Table - Parts
Uses
- Power Cube - Power
Hydraulic Motor - Actuation
Input
Creates
- Uniform Biomass for Pelletizer
- Insulation for Hab Lab
See Product Ecologies for more information.
[edit] Components
- Frame
- Hopper
- Feeder
- Chipper
- Hammer
- Shaft
[edit] Status
The Hammermill is currently in the research phase of development.
See GVCS Rollout Plan for more information.
[edit] See Also
[edit] Version 2
[edit] Background
[edit] Active Development
[edit] Design
- GVCS Ecology Design Rationale
[edit] Replication
[edit] Distributive Enterprise
- Economic Analysis
- Training
- Capitalization Assistance
- Sourcing Assistance
[edit] Archives
| GVCS Home List | ||
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| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The CNC Torch Table is a table capable of cutting designs out of metal with a 2-axis torch controlled by computer.
The CNC Torch Table provides a quicker solution for cutting sheet metal, especially into intricate patterns that are difficult to cut by hand.
[edit] Description
[edit] Product Ecology
Made with
- Induction Furnace - Steel
Multimachine - Precision Guides, bearings
Creates
See Product Ecologies for more information.
[edit] Components
[edit] Specifications
[edit] Status
Prototype I Currently being used in experimental production runs. Tighter integration of Digital Fabrication is being researched as is the software toolchain (which is a current bottleneck).
Prototype II
- First step: perfection of mechanical design for replicability to 1/32" over 4x8' area
- Need open source controller, end stops, and z height automation/detection.
- We could use existing structure, with modifications. Right now we use gear rack. We can simplify the carriage structure.
- If we want to go all out - we could use full gas flow control - but that is probably beyond the scope of the present program - as it would require expensive parts until we can manufacture them ourselves.
- Open source stepper motors would be a good addition - if we could find somebody to design/fab them - that would be great.
- Computer vision for fully automated cutting would be the last step.
- Next steps: stiffening frame design to accommodate router heads
- Interview with owner of Ben's excellent DIY table setup in Smithville, TX:
[edit] Suggested steps from Luke Iseman
video of ben's setup:http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/CNC_Torch_Table photos of OSE's current table, including measurements: http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Torch_Table_Build DIY standalone sensor ideas: http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Sensing_Distance_from_Work_Piece . note particularly the circuit i found for an independent z-axis control CNC circuit mills: http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/CNC_Circuit_Mill . comparison of existing kits, and updated parts list on mantis 9 ( http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Mantis_9 )
recommended next steps: 1. get the candcnc.com 's dragon-cut 620-4 and implement on the current table. utilize your same bearing setup for the z-axis. 2. build the mantis 9 , but use the snaplock electronics.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
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| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Dairy Milker yields milk and dairy products from dairy cows.
[edit] Detailed Description
The dairy milker is comprised of 4 teatcups that attach onto the teats of the dairy cow. These teatcups connect via short milk tubes and short pulsation tubes to a claw (connection component that links the teatcups to the rest of the dairy milker). The claw is connected via a long milk tube and a long pulsation tube to the milkline (collection bucket), from which the collected milk is transported via airflow and pump to a bulk tank (central storage vat). The dairy milker yields milk from the teats of a cow by applying a continuous vacuum, thereby creating a pressure difference across the teat canal. Because the vacuum causes teat tissue congestion (problematic accumulation of blood and other fluids), air is pulsated to the teatcup liners at pre-determined intervals to ease tissue congestion.
[edit] Solution Statement
The agricultural pathway for dairy products necessitate the production of milk, for which the dairy milker provides an automated means to do so.
[edit] Product Ecology
Uses
- Induction Furnace - Steel
- Cow - Milk
Creates
The dairy milker fulfills the role of producing milk from cows through automation.
[edit] Components
The major components of the dairy milker include:
- Claw - the intermediary part that connects the short milk and pulsation tubes from the teatcups to the long milk and pulsation tubes going to the collection bucket.
- Teatcups - the direct contact parts that gently clasp onto the teats of a dairy cow so that the applied vacuum yields milk.
- Collection Bucket - The minor receiver of extracted milk that connects to the bulk tank.
- Bulk Tank - The major receiver of extracted milk that can connect to multiple collection buckets.
- Pump and Airflow Circuit - the set of parts that create a pressure difference between the collection bucket and the bulk tank, thereby channelling extracted milk from the collection bucket to the bulk tank.
- Vacuum and Pulsation Circuit - the set of parts that produce the vacuum and air pulsation intervals for milk extraction and teat tissue relief, respectively.
[edit] Status
The Dairy Milker is currently in the research phase.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
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| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
A drill press (also known as pedestal drill, pillar drill, or bench drill) is a fixed style of drill that may be mounted on a stand or bolted to the floor or workbench. A drill press consists of a base, column (or pillar), table, spindle (or quill), and drill head, usually driven by an induction motor. The head has a set of handles (usually 3) radiating from a central hub that, when turned, move the spindle and chuck vertically, parallel to the axis of the column. The table can be adjusted vertically and is generally moved by a rack and pinion; however, some older models rely on the operator to lift and reclamp the table in position. The table may also be offset from the spindle's axis and in some cases rotated to a position perpendicular to the column.
[edit] Details
[edit] Status
The Drill Press is currently in the prototype phase of design.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
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| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
see also: Hydraulic Motor
[edit] Overview
The Electric Motor serves the function of converting electrical energy into mechanical energy and vice-versa.
[edit] Detailed Description
Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force. The reverse process, producing electrical energy from mechanical energy, is done by generators such as an alternator or a dynamo; some electric motors can also be used as generators.
The ideal GVCS motor is one that meets OSE Spec for appropriate scale and ease of fabrication.
While many heavy-duty GVCS technologies are powered by Hydraulic Motors, many of the smaller, more precision actuation is left to Electrical Motors.
[edit] Product Ecology
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[edit] Status
The Electric Motor Generator is currently in the Research Phase of product design.
[edit] See Also
- Stepper Motor
- Appropedia: Comparison of electrical motors - types and applications, 3D models.
- Wikipedia: Electric Motor
- Wikipedia: Electrical Generator
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Gasifier Burner converts biomass fuel into power and useful chemicals.
[edit] Details
This is achieved by reacting the material at high temperatures (>700°C), without combustion, with a controlled amount of oxygen and/or steam, breaking down the biomass into carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane. The resulting gas mixture is a fuel called syngas. If Air is used in place of oxygen the gas also contains inert nitrogen and is called producer gas.
[edit] Product Ecology
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[edit] Status
The gasifier burner is currently in the Research phase of development.
[edit] See Also
- Biochemicals from Pyrolysis
- Biomass to FuelFischer-Tropsch
- Compressed Fuel Gas
- Pyrolysis Oil
- Biochar
- Babington Burner
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
A hay cutter is a device that cuts grass, hay, straw, or other light biomass. It is part of haying equipment, haybines, silage equipment, mowers, and agricultural combines.
This should really be called a mower. More specifically, a reciprocating mower, sickle mower, or finger-bar mower. A "hay cutter" can be mistaken for something more like a wood chipper that chews up biomass and spits it out a chute.
[edit] Details
A cutter has a number of moving parts and is subject to failure. Open source, modular hay cutters solve the need for easy self-maintenance and adaptation to many devices, from combines to balers, reducing infrastructure costs. The goal is a machine that fully meets OSE Spec
[edit] Product Ecology
Made with
- Induction Furnace - Steel
- CNC Torch Table - Cut parts
Uses
Creates
- Hay
[edit] Components
- QA Plate
- Mounting Frame
- Blades
- Hinge
[edit] Study of Industry Standards
OSE hay cutter is studying the industry standards with this hydraulic-retrofit of a hay cutter:
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Hay Rake is an agricultural rake used to collect cut hay or straw into windrows for later collection (e.g. by a baler or a loader wagon). It is also designed to fluff up the hay and turn it over so that it may dry. It is also used in the evening to protect the hay of the dew. The next day a tedder is used to spread it again, so that the hay dries more quickly.
[edit] Details
[edit] Product Ecology
Made with
- Induction Furnace - Steel
- CNC Torch Table - Parts
Uses
Works With
Creates
See Product Ecologies for more information.
[edit] Components
- QA Plate
- Frame
- Rake
[edit] Status
The Hay Rake is currently in the Research phase of product development.
[edit] See Also
| Hydraulic Motor | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 
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[edit] Overview
A hydraulic motor is a mechanical actuator that converts hydraulic pressure and flow into torque and rotation.
[edit] Detailed Description
In the GVCS, the hydraulic motor forms the energy backbone powering much of the equipment. Hydraulic power offers numerous advantages that make it an attractive aspect in helping machine meet OSE Spec
See Power Cube, CEB, and Tractor for implementation examples.
[edit] Product Ecology
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Components
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[edit] Status
The Hydraulic Motor is currently in the research phases and is dependant on product release of precision equipment provided by Multimachine.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
Main > Digital Fabrication > RepLab Tools > Induction furnace
[edit] Overview
View Induction furnace and over 3,000,000 other topics on Qwiki.
An induction furnace is an electrical furnace in which the heat is applied by induction heating of metal.
[edit] Details
The advantage of the induction furnace is a clean, energy-efficient and well-controllable melting process compared to most other means of metal melting. Most modern foundries use this type of furnace and now also more iron foundries are replacing cupolas with induction furnaces to melt cast iron, as the former emit lots of dust and other pollutants. Induction furnace capacities range from less than one kilogram to one hundred tonnes capacity and are used to melt iron and steel, copper, aluminium and precious metals. Since no arc or combustion is used, the temperature of the material is no higher than required to melt it; this can prevent loss of valuable alloying elements.[1] The one major drawback to induction furnace usage in a foundry is the lack of refining capacity; charge materials must be clean of oxidation products and of a known composition and some alloying elements may be lost due to oxidation (and must be re-added to the melt).
Operating frequencies range from utility frequency (50 or 60 Hz) to 400 kHz or higher, usually depending on the material being melted, the capacity (volume) of the furnace and the melting speed required. Generally, the smaller the volume of the melts, the higher the frequency of the furnace used; this is due to the skin depth which is a measure of the distance an alternating current can penetrate beneath the surface of a conductor. For the same conductivity, the higher frequencies have a shallow skin depth - that is less penetration into the melt. Lower frequencies can generate stirring or turbulence in the metal. A preheated, 1-tonne furnace melting iron can melt cold charge to tapping readiness within an hour. Power supplies range from 10 kW to 15 MW, with melt sizes of 20 kg to 30 tonne of metal respectively.
An operating induction furnace usually emits a hum or whine (due to magnetostriction), the pitch of which can be used by operators to identify whether the furnace is operating correctly or at what power level.
[edit] Product Ecology
Uses
Universal Power Supply - Power
Creates
See Product Ecologies for more information.
[edit] Components
- Induction Furnace Circuit
- Heat Dissipation System
- Coil
- Melt Chamber
- Feeder
- Crucible
[edit] Status
The Induction Furnace is currently in the research phase of product development.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The industrial robot is an automated machine that perform a wide variety of functions, (including welding, assembly, and CAM, etc...), all depending on which tools its hand is equipped with.
This is the kind of thing you can do with a top-of-the-line industrial robot.
[edit] Detailed Description
The industrial robot is a rotating multi-axis machine that can hold various modules (called end-effectors) for performing different tasks such as welding and cutting. These tasks can be done in repetition (through proper "teaching") and with precision (based on the robot's repeatability, which is a measure of how far the robot deviates from a certain position when going there multiple times). The volume in which the robotic arm can travel is called the working envelope (rear of robot is typically restricted), and the axes of rotation are called degrees of freedom (6 or more for higher-end flexibility). A versatile industrial robot can significantly improve the accuracy, precision, and completion times of multiple production tasks while significantly reducing the need for operator involvement.
The industrial robot is task versatile, multi-way programmable, repeatably accurate, and modular with scalable reach and payload. The industrial robot serves a universal function mimicking a human arm, so can fill in (after being programmed) for any repetitive operation not better done by humans; other times, the industrial robot can be directly operator-controlled to act as a mega-arm machine where the high reach, payload, and working envelope are advantaged.
[edit] Product Ecology
| From | Uses | Creates | Enables |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Components |
[edit] Status
The Industrial Robot is currently entering the prototype phase of production.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
An Ironworker is the amalgamation of 5 machines clubbed into a single engineering wonder, forming the backbone of many fabrication workshops. An Ironworker comprises of a punching machine, a plate shear, a section shear, a punch and shear machine and a coper-notcher.
Generating force using hydraulic systems or mechanical leverage, Ironworker machines can shear, punch holes and notch in steel plates.
[edit] Details
Sketchup of prototype 1:
[edit] Product Ecology
Uses
- Induction Furnace Steel
- Welder parts
Creates
See Product Ecologies for more information.
[edit] Components
- Structural Steel
- Pins
- Hydraulic Ram
- Controls
- Ironworking
- Press
- Punch - Die
- Shear
- Notcher
[edit] Status
The Ironworker is currently in the prototyping phase of product development, with hole-puncher and press variants in active use for CEB and PowerCube fabrication. Future prototypes aim to integrate shearing capabilities and solenoid controls.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
A laser cutter enables CNC cutting and engraving of metal, wood, and other materials. Laser cutting works by directing the output of a high-power laser, by computer, at the material to be cut. The material then either melts, burns, vaporizes away, or is blown away by a jet of gas, leaving an edge with a high-quality surface finish. Industrial laser cutters are used to cut flat-sheet material as well as structural and piping materials.
[edit] Details
lasersaur from stefanix on Vimeo.
[edit] Product Ecology
Uses
- Induction Furnace - Structural Metal
- Multimachine -
CNC Circuit Mill - Controller
Electric Motor Generator
- Power
Creates
3D Printer - Structural
[edit] Components
See Product Ecologies for more information.
[edit] Status
The Laser Cutter is currently in the Development phase by Lasersaur, and will be a part of the GVCS when complete.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The metal roller sends sheet metal and plate through gaps between cylinders to roll-bend them; this operation is used for producing cylindrical or conical components as well as wiring cylindrical edges.
This roll-bending operation ability is particularly useful for producing standard shapes of metal that would be time-consuming or impossible to form otherwise.
[edit] Description
Metal rolling is a centralized industrial process that is done in large-scale (kiloton per day) steel mills. We aim to open-source this technology for use in small-scale (ton per day) flexible fabrication facilities which allow local communities to produce virgin metal from scrap feedstocks.
[edit] Description
One type of metal roller uses a pinch rolling operations (lightly grips and moves sheet metal through the machine with a "free" roller to "set" the required bend radius) and pyramid rolling operations (moves plate metal through the machine to "set" the required bend radius). A hydraulically power-driven universal metal roller can be used for all required roll-bending operations.
[edit] Solution Statement
The metal roller allows the operator to perform roll-bending operations with ease.
[edit] Product Ecology
Made with
Uses
- Power Cube - Power
- Induction Furnace - Steel
Creates
- Rolled Steel
See Product Ecology for more information.
[edit] Components
The principal elements of the metal roller include:
- Frame: the ground-supported structure upon which the rest of the metal roller lies
- Couplers: the mechanisms that convert rotary motion from the hydraulic motor to the cylinders
- Hydraulic Circuit: the set of components that powers the hydraulic motor by sending pressurized fluid through its ports, hence producing rotary motion at the motor shaft
- Adjusters: the mechanisms that allow cylinder movement for different placement configurations on the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation
- Cylinders: the components that make actual contact with the workpiece for roll-bending.
[edit] Status
The Metal Roller is currently in the research phase of development. Prototyping is planned for after product release of the Induction Furnace.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
Agricultural Microcombine (Combine) - a combine is a complex device that cuts, threshes, and winnows grains and field crops of all sorts.
[edit] Details
Modern combines are huge devices today, and a smaller one is desirable for a small farm. This is not to say that this design should not be scaleable to larger size, as required to feed larger populations effectively. We propose a hybrid combine, with all parts driven by separate, infinitely speed controllable motors. This eliminates all pulleys and complexity of a single power source powering the entire modern combine. The key here is availability of cost-effective motors and controls, where today, motor controls are prohibitively expensive for such a proposition. OS changes this. With a microcombine under the control of the operator, expensive maintenance is avoided, and full food sufficiency becomes feasible on the tens-of-acres scale.
| From | Uses | Creates | Enables |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Components |
[edit] Status
Current work includes getting information from grain and bean farmers about their needs for a microcombine, the operation modes they'd like, etc. and surveying any commercial equipment available that is similar in scope/scale.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
MicroTrac is a small scale, walk-behind version of LifeTrac.
[edit] Product Ecology
Made with
Equips
[edit] Components
[edit] Status
The Microtractor is currently in the Prototype stage of Product Development. Later prototypes aim to integrate lessons learned from LifeTrac development.
See GVCS Rollout for more information.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The multimachine is an all-purpose open source machine tool that can be built inexpensively by a semi-skilled mechanic with common hand tools, from discarded car and truck parts, using only commonly available hand tools and no electricity. Its size can range from being small enough to fit in a closet to one hundred times that size. The multimachine can accurately perform all the functions of an entire machine shop by itself.
[edit] Details
[edit] Product Ecology
See Product Ecology for more information.
[edit] Components
- Concrete
- Spindle
- Lathe
- Motor
[edit] Status
The Multimachine is currently entering the Prototype Phase of Product Development. See Shonda Log for more information.
[edit] See Also
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Nickel Iron Battery is the primary electrical energy storage device for the GVCS.
Advantages:
- Long lifetime of 50 years
- Open source design of electrodes
- Cells scalable: from 1 to 50kW hrs
- Nickel and iron obtained from scrap stream, reprocessed via Induction Furnace
- Completely closed loop material cycle ecology
[edit] Detailed Description
The nickel-iron battery (NiFe battery) or "edison cell" is a storage battery having a nickel oxide-hydroxide cathode and an iron anode, with an electrolyte of potassium hydroxide (lye can be used as a substitute).
The active materials are held in nickel-plated steel tubes or perforated pockets.
It is a very robust battery which is tolerant of abuse, (overcharge, overdischarge, and short-circuiting) and can have very long life even if so treated.
It is often used in backup situations where it can be continuously charged and can last for more than 20 years.
Nickel-iron batteries have ~50 year lifetimes, compared to a few-year lifetime of lead acid batteries. They are environmentally more benign, and lend themselves to local recycling and fabrication. They can have higher discharge rates and faster charge times than lead-acid batteries depending on mechanical design of the electrodes etc, so they lend themselves not only to off-grid power, but also to power electronics applications such as welding and heavy workshop power. In China a company by the name of changhong batteries makes a version of them for use in automotive starter batteries. Their energy density is half that of lead-acid batteries, but their long lifetime makes them highly relevant to the GVCS, including to electric farming equipment as the next generation of LifeTrac infrastructure.
The Edison Battery was developed and promoted primarily by Thomas A Edison.
[edit] Product Ecology
| From | Uses | Creates | Enables |
|---|---|---|---|
Components |
|
[edit] Components
[edit] Anode Compound
- iron plate - low carbon, mild steel (demo)
- iron graphite compounded (Edison)
- iron oxide
[edit] node Construction
- plain plate (demo)
- pocket plate with mesh inserts (Edison)
[edit] Cathode Compounds
- Nickel(III) oxide-hydroxide
- nickel hydrate and pure nickel flake (Edison)
[edit] Cathode Construction
- plain plate (demo)
- pocket plate with mesh inserts (Edison)
- generally nickel-plated rather than pure nickel
- Nickel sponge
- Sintered nickel powder
- Nickel mesh/cloth
[edit] Electrolyte
- potassium hydroxide
- sodium hydroxide (alternate, lower voltage)
- lithium (modern additive)
[edit] Cell Casing
- nickel-plated steel box, rubber seals (Edison)
- plastic box (modern commercial)
- glass jars (demo projects)
- pvc cylinders (Ed's Workshop)
[edit] Status
The Nickel-Iron Battery is currently in the research phase of development.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Pelletizer creates fuel pellets out of biomass.
[edit] Details
Biomass can be pellitized by first passing it through a Hammer Mill for uniformity, then feeding it to a press that has holes of uniform size. In this process, there is a marked increase in temperature, causing the lignin to plastify.
The pellets can be burned efficiently for energy.
[edit] Product Ecology
| From | Uses | Creates | Enables |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Components
|
[edit] Status
The Pelletizer is currently in the research phase of development
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
A Plasma Cutter is used to cut metals and other materials. An inert gas or compressed air is exposed to an electrical arc and blown at high speed from a nozzle. Some of the gas ionizes to plasma form, which has a temperature high enough to melt metal. The plasma stream moves quickly enough to blow molten metal away from the points it is melting, creating cuts in material. See how a plasma cutter works.
[edit] Product Ecology
Created with
- Induction Furnace - Casing
Bioplastic Extruder - Handle
Used by
Uses
- Universal Power Supply - Power
- Oxygen
[edit] Components
[edit] Status
The Plasma Cutter is currently in the Research Phase of product development
[edit] See Also
- Plasma Cutter PC Interface
- Instructables: DIY Plasma Cutter
- CNCzone: Plasma Cutter Schematic
- Wikipedia: Plasma Cutting
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Power Cube is a modular, universal, self-contained power unit consisting of an engine coupled to a hydraulic pump, providing power from hydraulic fluid at high pressure through quick connect hoses. It is designed to function as a modular and interchangeable power supply for GVCS technologies.
[edit] Details
The Power Cube was designed in accordance with OSE Specifications for maximum utility. The Power Cube features...
- Modularity - String multiple power cubes together for increased hydraulic power.
- Flexibility - Quick Connect hoses and Quick Attach Plate enable extreme flexibility to place power wherever it is needed.
- Ease of Repair - All engine components are easily accessible and fast to replace/repair with off-the-shelf parts or locally produced equipment.
[edit] Product Ecology
The current iteration of the power cube is an off-the-shelf gasoline engine, but the design is intended to be as power source agnostic as possible so that the power production can be readily changed. There will likely be many variations on the power cube design, but all fitting inside a similar size profile so that a GVCS machine can readily swap out one Power Cube for another.
| From | Uses | Creates | Enables |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Components
|
[edit] Video (Older Power Cube Designs)
- Introduction to the Power Cube Design (1 min 59 sec)
- Power Cube Complete (5 min 6 sec)
- Power Cube (3 min 30 sec)
- Build Instructions (50 min 27 sec)
[edit] Development Status
Currently, the Power Cube is on its fourth prototype. We are in need of CAD support to digitize the latest design. Those with relevant experience in (Sketchup, Solidworks, Inventor, etc...) are encouraged to Contact Us.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Press Forge takes molten steel fresh from the Induction Furnace and presses it into useful forms.
[edit] Product Ecology
Uses
- Induction Furnace - Steel
- Hydraulic Motor - Press
- Power Cube - Power
See Product Ecologies for more information.
[edit] Components
- Press
- Die
- Feeder
- Roller
- Control Box
[edit] Status
Currently in the Research Phase of product development. Prototyping is dependent upon development of the Induction Furnace.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
A Rod and Wire Mill draws out molten metal into useful rods and wires. This is a subset of metal rolling, used to make shafts, rebar, thin rods, down to wire. Thin wire can then be produced by wire drawing through a die.
[edit] Details
[edit] Product Ecology
Made with
- Induction Furnace - Steel
- CNC Torch Table - Parts
Uses
- Induction Furnace - Metal Feed
- Power Cube - Power
Creates
- Rod
- Bars
- Wire
See Product Ecologies for more information.
[edit] Components
- Steel
- Rollers
- Hydraulics
- Controller Box
- Feeder
- Die
- Sensor
[edit] Status
Currently in the research phases. Prototyping is expected to begin after completion of the Induction Furnace
Subject Matter Experts are encouraged to Contact Us.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
A tractor implement that tills soil with blades via rotary action. It is a specialized form of Cultivator.
[edit] Details
Cultivators stir and pulverize the soil, either before planting (to aerate the soil and prepare a smooth, loose seedbed) or after the crop has begun growing to kill weeds (controlled disturbance of the topsoil close to the crop plants kills the surrounding weeds by uprooting them, burying their leaves to disrupt their photosynthesis, or a combination of both). Cultivators are designed to disturb the soil in careful patterns, sparing the crop plants but disrupting the weeds.
[edit] Product Ecology
Uses
- Induction Furnace - Steel
- CNC Torch Table - Steel
- Hydraulic Motor - Power
- Power Cube - Power
- Tractor - Mounting
[edit] See Also
- Wikipedia: Cultivator
- Blog Post.
- Soil Pulverizer Industry Standards
- Steam Weeder
- Metallized Fabric as Ground Cover
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
A sawmill converts felled logs from trees into green wood lumbar. As a piece of the GVCS, it unlocks a range of well-established wood construction techniques.
To convert the green wood into finished dried lumber the cut boards are either air-dried or fired in a kiln.
[edit] Detailed Description
[edit] Product Ecology
| From | Uses | Creates | Enables |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Components
|
[edit] Status
The first Sawmill prototype is currently under construction as a part of the GVCS Rollout Plan.
See Dimensional_Sawmill_Prototype_I for in-progress videos.
[edit] See Also
- Sawmill - Design Rationale
- Sawmill Design
- Sawmill Analysis
- Research
- Sawmill Archive
- Wood
- Forest
- Kiln
[edit] Links
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
A Seeder enables Tractor planting of any type of seed from small seeds like clover to large seeds such as potatoes.
[edit] Details
The goal is a general purpose workhorse device that meets OSE Spec for agricultural planting operations.
[edit] Product Ecology
Uses
- Induction Furnace - Steel
- CNC Torch Table - Steel
Works with
- Tractor - Mounting
- Power Cube - Power
Spader - Agriculture
See Product Ecologies for more information.
[edit] Components
- Hopper
- Wheels
- Rollers
- Feed
- Filter
[edit] Status
The Seeder is currently being researched.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
Concentrated solar power (CSP) systems, are systems that use mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight, or solar thermal energy, onto a small area. Electrical power is produced when the concentrated light is converted to heat which drives a heat engine (usually a steam turbine) connected to an electrical power generator.
[edit] Details
Solar Concentrators
Categories
[edit] Product Ecology
| From | Uses | Creates | Enables |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Components |
[edit] Components
- Mirrors
- Tubes
- Boiler
- Turbine
[edit] Status
The Solar Concentrator is currently in the research phase of product development.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The spader is set of mechanical shovels that prepare soil for planting without causing a hardpan typical of rototiller tilling. Also called a "rotary spader".
[edit] Details
Agricultural Spader - This is the most advanced, but least affordable, method of soil preparation for planting. The spader is the mechanized equivalent of several digging shovels. It is operated by the power take off (PTO) behind a tractor. It operates like a rototiller, but with reciprocating spades. It is a superior method of soil preparation for planting - because, unlike a rototiller, it leaves better soil structure without creating a hardpan underneath the tilling layer. Moreover, the spader is capable of deeper tilling. This is the state of art in soil preparation, but few farmers are privy to it because of high cost - $5k for used machines. Our version will be driven by tractor hydraulics, eliminating costly gearing. The fabrication is not straightforward like a rototiller, as the spader spades ride on cams that are offset from a rotating axle. Effective fabrication strategy must be developed. Overall, this would help improve farmers' efficiency. The spader (and rototiller) are a one step soil preparation method - unlike plowing - which is typically followed by multiple disking or disking and harrowing.
They do not leave a "hardpan" due to the somewhat random action of the spades. Spaders are very expensive in north America as they are all made in Italy/Holland etc. (see links below). Inventing an open source spader would be a great achievment. They are a one pass type of implement, allowing easy working in of cover crops into the soil. Towing the spader behind LifeTrac would be easy as spaders are not a real load on the tractor/machine. All that is needed is a slow hydrostatic drive, but we have that covered.
[edit] Research
- The embedded video, showing a Celli spader with "shovels", is from a University of Vermont DVD (available here).
- Spader setup and operation - note 3rd pic down: it's the soil "pulverizer" after the spades. Spades dig first, "pulverizer" breaks up the clods and makes seed bed. Imants use a roller with curved tines instead. Does it all in one operation. Looks almost exactly like your tines on soil pulverizer.
- "Product Review: Spaders - These must-have machines help preserve soil structure". At the bottom of that page a reader suggests Imants spaders from Holland: "Imants produces a spader that achieves the same results based on a different mechanical approach". The Imants use circular "arms". They supposedly will leave a hardpan like a tiller (eventually). I'm sure they run smoother/longer though.
- Good spader video, shows the Imants final roller with tines. He discusses the mechanism up close.
- Another Imant in action.
[edit] Product Ecology
Uses
- Induction Furnace - Steel
- CNC Torch Table - Structure
Works with
- Tractor - Mounting
- Power Cube - Power
See Product Ecologies for more information.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
Steam Engine/Index - topical index to all steam engine pages.
The Open Source Ecology project seeks to develop a modular, scalable, open source steam engine capable of converting steam generated by a solar collector or boiler into power that can be used to generate electricity or drive machines found in the Global Village Construction Set.
[edit] Details
See Steam Engine Intro if you are interested in the current OSE steam engine project.
- Steam Engine Concept - a conceptual description of steam engines
- Steam Engine Breakdown -
- Steam Engine Specifications
- Steam Engine Specifications/Geometry
- Steam Engine/Terminology - terms used in steam engine technology
Steam engines take energy available as high pressure, high temperature steam and convert it into reciprocal motion. This motion can then be turned into rotational motion using a crankshaft. At the start of the twentieth century, steam engines provided power for farms, factories, and transportation. They were largely replaced by internal combustion engines. The Open Source Ecology project is interested in reviving steam technology to develop a modern steam engine to provide alternatives to engines driven by gasoline or diesel - which are becoming increasingly more expensive as our world passes the point of peak oil production.
[edit] Product Ecology
| From | Uses | Creates | Enables |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Components |
[edit] Status
The previous steam engine design is on hold pending evaluation of the Mounster Design. Marcin favors this design, but the intellectual property rights to it are unclear at this time. Subject Matter Experts or fabricators interested in making prototypes are encouraged to contact Mark Norton.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Steam Generator is a device used to create steam by applying heat energy to water.
[edit] Details
It can be used to power devices such as steam engines and steam turbines. Both of these machines convert expanding steam into rotational power, power that can be used to drive other GVCS tools or generate electric power. Excess or vented steam can also be used to heat a home or greenhouse.
Steam Generator Pages
[edit] Product Ecology
| From | Uses | Creates | Enables |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Components
|
[edit] Status
The Steam Generator is currently the Research Phase of Product Development.
[edit] See Also
| LifeTrac | 
|
|---|---|
| LifeTrac III Home | Research & Development | Build It | User's Manual | Community Feedback |
[edit] Overview
LifeTrac is a low-cost, multipurpose open source tractor. It serves as a workhorse backbone for many of GVCS technologies. Prototype III stage has been completed, and field testing determined the need for Prototype IV prior to product release.
Featuring a modular design and detachable PowerCube units, it has the ability to rapidly switch between a variety of GVCS machines via the QA Plate. The machine is overbuilt with a focus on lifetime design and ease of repair.
Four hydraulic motors provide skid steer power to the wheels, and a chain tread system enables navigation of extreme terrain.
[edit] Distributed Collaboration
Distributed Collaboration is a way to manage the digital files that describe the machine in such a way that people all over the world can work together through the internet. The process is made up of three steps: definitions, projects and reports.
LifeTrac III Definitions The definitions are any files that specify what the pieces of the machine are. An experience fabricator would be able to make all the pieces from just these files.
LifeTrac III Projects The project(s) is a database that turns the definitions into steps which, if all accomplished, will result in a finished machine. At the moment, we're just using an existing project management program.
LifeTrac III Reports The report(s) is a polished document that compiles all the definitions and project steps together in a way that is easy to follow. Additionally, the report includes background, context and any other piece of information that is relevant to the machine but is not strictly related to making it.
[edit] Product Evolution
Use the Product Evolution tree below to learn about the different versions of the LifeTrac and how far they got in product development (shown in italics). Follow the arrows to see where branching occurs. The dashed outlined represents the most complete documented version to date and tested at FeF.
| Major Design Style | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articulated Design | 
| ||||
| LifeTrac I Prototype 1 | |||||
| |||||
| Skid Steer Design | 
| 
| 
|
| 
|
| LifeTrac II Prototype 1 | LifeTrac III Documentation | LifeTrac IV Retrofit | |||
|
| |||||
| |||||
| LifeCat 1.0 R&D |
[edit] Status
2012-01-27: Currently the Lifetrac III is undergoing documentation. LifeTrac IV is in development as a retrofit of LifeTrac III but with improvements to bent loader arms, quick attach wheels and a new Bobcat standard QA Plate.
The LifeCat 1.0 was started as a new design that will strictly be a skid steer and not try to combine skid steer and tractor capabilities.
OSE Europe will likely be developing a tractor as well with standard two-wheel drive or articulated steering based on tried and proven designs in history.
[edit] Safety Concerns
No structural engineering analysis has been performed on the LifeTrac III or IV. If you choose to replicate this product you are doing so at your own risk and with this understanding. We will be performing analysis soon and will post those results as we get them.
There is also an email to OSE Europe mailing list describing some concerns about LifeTrac safety of use, and points out possible issues with: Frame, Steering, Brakes and Roll-Over Protection.
[edit] Product Ecology
| From | Uses | Creates | Enables |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Components |
[edit] Videos
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
A trencher is a piece of construction equipment used to dig trenches, typically for laying pipes or cables, or for drainage.
Think a chainsaw, but one that cuts into the earth.
[edit] Product Ecology
Created With
- Induction Furnace Steel
- CNC Torch Table Cutouts
- Welder
Used with
- Tractor - Mounting
Creates
- Trenches
See Product Ecologies for more information.
[edit] Components
- Motor
- Blade
- Teeth
- Housing
[edit] Status
The Trencher is currently in the Research Phase of Product Development
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Open Source Truck is a heavy off-road vehicle capable of equipping many pieces of equipment used on the Tractor, and transporting heavy loads long distance. The Open Source Truck project is currently in the research phase.
[edit] Detailed Description
Goal specifications
- Open Source Truck Concept - similar to Mercedes Unimog:
- Top speed of 60 mph
- Equipped with suspension
- Capable of handling extreme off-road conditions
- Equipped with front and rear power take-off, hydraulic take-off, and quick attach mounting plate for hydraulic heavy and rotary equipment such as backhoe, loader, power generator, hammermill, pelletizer, and any agricultural, utility, and construction equipment that is already avialable for the Tractor or Microtractor
- Dual utility for agricultural and transportation uses
- Hydraulic drive
- Quick attach Power Cube
- 27-270 hp models
- Eventually powered with Modern Steam Engine
[edit] Product Ecology
| From | Uses | Creates | Enables |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Components |
[edit] Status
The Open Source Truck is currently in the Research phase of product development.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
Main > Energy > Power quality
[edit] Overview
A Universal Power Supply forms the backbone of an off-grid electrical system.
[edit] Definition/Concept
This is a combination inverter, converter, pulse-width modulation current controller, and high frequency power supply for applications from off-grid power, charge controllers, to power supplies for welders, induction furnaces, and plasma cutters.
A large range of power electronic devices is desirable within the infrastructure of communities. Having an individual power supply for each is redundant and expensive. A modular UPS construction kit is desirable as an analogue to the 'industrial-strength Lego' that we have already demonstrated for heavy mechanical hardware infrastructures.
[edit] Rectifyers
Rectification is the conversion of AC to DC. A universal power supply would require one or two rectifying stages: one at the AC input to provide DC for the voltage converter, and another if the voltage converter is a proper Active PFC converter, which produces PWM shaped output.
Rectifyers can be either passive schottky diode bridges, or active (IC-controlled) MOSFET H-bridges. Passive ones are cheaper, and ultimately more efficient for very high currents, while active ones are superior for low-medium-and-maybe-high currents yet more expensive. This design choice affects price, producability and simplicity.
In either case a rectifyer stage requires power packaged components and a heat sink. The size of the heat sink is a function of the current, which is higher at low voltages for a given output power. Questions for the specification is how much power the device should be able to deliver from a 12V source (first rectifyer in the case of voltage up-conversion) and to a load at 12V DC output (second rectifyer if present).
[edit] Voltage Converters
[edit] Inverters
An inverter is an electrical device that converts DC voltage from batteries to AC voltage for off-shelf electrical tools and appliances.
Off-the-shelf inverters have about a 2 year lifetime, and 5-10 year lifetime for higher quality models. Lifetime design inverters with plug-in replacement components are required for sustainable communities which use battery storage as a component of their electricity infrastructure. One of the few other feasible, non-battery, non-fuel energy storage may be via heat storage coupled to thermoelectric generators, or possibly thermal storage via phase-change salts and heat engines.
[edit] Product Ecology
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[edit] Status
OSE is recruiting subject matter experts with experience in inverter design. Those with relevant experience are encouraged to Contact Us
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Universal Rotor is designed as a tool-changing implement that augments the abilities of the LifeTrac and other GVCS devices. It can be fitted with a wide array of toolheads, such as string trimmer, posthole digger, tree planting auger, slurry mixer, and many others.
[edit] Details
The Universal Rotor is a structural assembly that holds a shaft with bearings, which is attached to the LifeTrac quick attach plate, or which can be detached and used in other applications. The hydraulic motor is interchangeable, and so far, a 32 cu in and a 6 cu in motors have been used. Motors have a quick mounting plate with 2 3/4" bolts for hold-down.
The assembly can be mounted either horizontally or vertically by bolting to a back plate accordingly.
[edit] Components
- Motor
- Mount
- Tool Changer
- Shaft
[edit] Product Ecology
Uses
- Induction Furnace - Steel
- CNC Torch Table - Parts
- Tractor - Mounting
- Power Cube - Power
- Hydraulic Motor - Power
Mounts
- String Trimmer,
- Tree Planting auger,
- Lathe,
- drill press,
- soil line cutting rotor,
- honey extractor.
[edit] Status
The Universal Rotor is currently in the prototyping phase of product development.
Future prototype designs aim to improve structural integrity, increased ease of mounting for LifeTrac, and improved interchangeability of motors.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Welder enables all the wonders of welding, a fabrication process that joins metal pieces together.
[edit] Details
Welding is often done by melting the workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material (the weld pool) that cools to become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes used in conjunction with heat, or by itself, to produce the weld. This is in contrast with soldering and brazing, which involve melting a lower-melting-point material between the workpieces to form a bond between them, without melting the workpieces.
[edit] Product Ecology
Uses
- Universal Power Supply - Power
Rod and Wire Mill - Welding Wire
Used by
See Product Ecologies for more information.
[edit] Components
- Wire Feed
- Spooler
- Tensioner
- Transformer
- Welding Wire
- Control Box
- Handle
- Nozzle
- Sleeve
- Case
[edit] Status
The Welder project is currently in the Research Phase of product development.
[edit] See Also
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Well Drilling Rig enables the construction of water wells. Water is crucial for human and animal consumption, washing, irrigation, and industrial processes. Access to clean drinking water is one of the key challenges facing many countries today. Addressing this need with the GVCS has the potential for far reaching impact.
[edit] Description
Well drilling can be broken down into three basic phases:
- breaking up the rock/soil in the well column
- removing the cuttings from the well column
- stabilising the well column and preparing it for production.
Breaking Breaking of rock/soil to produce cuttings is achieved by a cutting tool, either a rotating drill bit or a raised and dropped 'chisel-like' device; for the GVCS well drilling rig we will likely employ the rotating bit design as it is a much more common method of well preparation. The bit is rotated by attaching it to the end of a long series of pipes connected together called the drill string, turning the drill string turns the cutting bit.
Pumping Once the bit has cut up the rock/dirt it needs to be lifted up out of the well. The most common way of doing this is to pump water/mud down the center of the piping that makes up the drill string, and letting it flow out the end of the bit. By continuously pumping more drilling mud into the well, it eventually fills up and the only place left for the mud to go is to be pushed up to the top of the well and spill over the side, carrying the cuttings along with it. This flow of mud and broken up rock spills over the top of the well and is sent to a small settling pond where the rocks and sand settle out of it. After some time in the settling pond the mud is recycled by the mud pump and pushed back down the well again to pick up and remove more cuttings allowing the well to be contiuously drilled deeper and deeper, stopping only to add new sections of drill string.
Stabilizing After the well is drilled to the desired depth it must be finished and put into production. The drill string is withrawn from the well, but the well is left full of water/drilling mud to prevent the sides from caving in until the well is finished. After the drill string is out the casing pipe is slid into the well to prevent caving in of the sides. Once this is done, the drilling mud is removed from the well column leaving it empty. At this point a water bucket or temporary well pump is placed in the well and as much water as possible is drawn up for a test period of 1 to 3 days to clean out any remaining drilling mud and stabilize the aquifer for production. Also during this time the water extraction rate is measured to verify that it is worth continuing to finish the well (poor producing wells may have the casing withdrawn and be re-drilled at a more favorable location). Once the well is shown to be a producing well it is capped with a cement cap, and the water pump is installed making the well operational.
[edit] Product Ecology
Made with
- Induction Furnace - Steel
- CNC Torch Table - Parts
- Power Cube - Power
- Hydraulic Motor - Drill, Ram, Vacuum Pump
Uses
- Hydraulic Motor - Pump
- Power Cube - Power
Cement Mixer - Cement Cap
Creates
- Water Wells
[edit] Components
- Steel
- Drill
- Pipe Casing
- Drill String
- Hoses
- Mud Pump
- Vacuum
[edit] Status
The Well Drilling Rig is currently in the research phase of product development.
[edit] Links
- GVCS Research
- HydroMissions - Products
- Practica Foundation - Publications
- Drilling Fab
- Life Water - Technical Library
- EMAS - Vimeo: Well Drilling Videos
| GVCS Home List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Research & Development | Bill of Materials | Manufacturing Instructions | User's Manual | 78px | |
[edit] Overview
The Wind Turbine is a machine that converts mechanical kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy. As a part of the GVCS it enables the generation of clean, renewable power.
[edit] Details
Small wind turbines are currently the main class being considered as a community-scale solution for power. These turbines may be as small as a fifty watt generator for boat, caravan, or miniature refrigeration unit. Small units often have direct drive generators, direct current output, aeroelastic blades, lifetime bearings and use a vane to point into the wind.
[edit] Product Ecology
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[edit] Status
Open Source Ecology Europe and -Germany are working on a prototype VAWT design: Germany/Wind_Turbine. Research and development is currently concentrated at TiVA, a tiny wind turbine prototyping platform. With this very small turbine, we can easily change parts, try out new ideas and increase the quality of the design on a small scale in a fast and inexpensive way.
The wind turbine is currently in the Research phase of product development.
There are a wide number of Open Hardware turbines, that are currently under consideration for adoption/consideration as a part of the GVCS.
portable wind turbine that can fit in a tube; wind lens.
[edit] See also
