3D Printer Build Workshop

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.
(Picture)

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

• Marcin Jakubowski – Marcin was trained as a fusion physicist. He left academia right after finishing his Ph.D. to start a farm – in Missouri. For the last 7 years, he has been working on the Global Village Construction Set – a set of enabling tools and machines for building regenerative infrastructures. Marcin is passionate about creating the Open Source Economy – a new operating system for Earth. See Marcin’s bio.

• Catarina Mota – Catarina is co-founder of Open Materials (do-it-yourself smart materials), Everywhere Tech (open source technology transfer), and AltLab (Lisbon’s hackerspace). Catarina recently finished her PhD dissertation on open and collaborative practices for the development of physical goods and technologies. She is currently a Research Chair at the Open Source Hardware Association and a TED Fellow. Previously, she co-chaired the Open Hardware Summit 2012, served on the board of directors of the Open Source Hardware Association, taught as an adjunct faculty member at ITP-NYU, and was a fellow of the National Science and Technology Foundation of Portugal. Catarina’s new initiative is the Open Building Institute, with a mission to bring affordable, open source construction to the world.

3D Printing

• Basic working principles of a 3D printer
• Different types of 3D printer applications
• How to build a 3D printer
• How to calibrate a 3D printer
• How to run software to control a 3D printer
• How to find objects for printing and how to design them yourself in FreeCAD

Collaborative Literacy

• Basic principles of Open Source Ecology
• The concept of Open Source Product Development (OSPD)
• The meaning of Distributive Enterprise
• Basic collaboration principles of open source projects
• The role of documentation for time-binding and economic time-binding
• The concept of module-based design

Distributive Enterprise

• Business model for Distributive Enterprise
• The meaning of Viral Replicability Criteria

Note: schedule is being refined and may change slightly. The full program goes from 8 AM to 8 PM, though people can leave at 5 PM if they don’t want to stay for dinner and the Learning Session.

• 8AM-9: OSE Introduction
• 9-12: Morning Build Session
• Lunch
• 1-4: Afternoon Build Session
• 4-5: Pre-Power Check, Calibration, and First Print
• 5-6: Dinner
• 6-8: Learning Session, Review, and Closure Discussion

Early Bird Registration: $599,participation includes taking a 3D printer home with you.

Early Bird Admission ends on Saturday, March 5, at 7 PM CST USA time . The registration is $699 after that.

Assistant Registration: $150, participant does not take a 3D printer home.

2-for-1 Discount: bring a family member or friend with you for free (friend or family member assists you and does NOT take a second printer home).

Group Rate: Email us if you would like to bring a group.

Remote Participation: Email us if for registration instructions if you would like to participate remotely via a dedicated web connection. The value that you receive is still a rapid, guided build. The cost is $300 for this option (not including the 3D printer kit + shipping).

True Fans of OSE: As supporting members of OSE, True Fans receive a 25% discount on all of our workshops. Email us for redemption details. You can sign up as a True Fan now to become eligible for the True Fans discount on future workshops.

Sponsor another participant or Donate to OSE: We are a nonprofit organization with 501(c)3 status. You can make tax-deductible contributions to us. Sponsor $599 to fund attendance of someone who is on the waiting list for financial assistance by making a donation.

Workshop fee includes lunch. OSE provides assembly tool set (OSE keeps the tool set). Dinner is not covered.

Payment Options: PayPal, Credit Card, Dwolla, Bitcoin, Check, Money Order, or Cash

Registration for the choices above is found on Eventbrite, but Eventbrite accepts only PayPal or Credit Card. If you would like to pay by other means you can select that option at Eventbrite, but then you have to submit your payment independently of Eventbrite. We accept Dwolla, Bitcoin, Check, Money Order, or Cash. Your registration is complete upon receipt of payment. If you pay with Dwolla – Dwolla charges lower transaction costs than PayPal. If you are paying by Dwolla, register at Eventbrite and select the Dwolla option, then pay independently via Dwolla (Dwolla is not currently integrated into Eventbrite). Use Open Source Ecology or ops@opensourceecology.org as the Dwolla recipient. Bitcoin is a decentralized payment system. You can pay via a bitcoin amount translated by the current bitcoin exchange rate on the day that you register. OSE’s Bitcoin Address is 166yC48RakrZdtsBj36vY9q29CpzknHbxY. If you are paying by check, please make checks payable to Open Source Ecology. Our mailing address is OSE, 909 SW Willow Rd, Maysville, MO 64469. For mailings, please write “3D Printer Workshop” in the memo line on your check.

Cancellation Policy
If you need to cancel for any reason, we will be happy to (a) transfer you credit towards another workshop in the future; (b) substitute the name on your ticket and have a friend take your place.

Registration on Eventbrite

Please use the the Eventbrite form below to pay with PayPal/credit card. Eventbrite charges a 6% fee on top of the ticket price.