Open Source Manufacturing
Open Source Manufacturing is a term that I have “coined” to describe the concept of applying “open/free source” techniques to the process of producing a physical product (eg. a bicycle). Below are some notes on that I have on this topic. I plan to give a talk at the local unconference (MinneBar on 5/6/2006) . Read ahead and see what you think.
The reasons that the free source model works
* your work can’t be appopriated by others
* your amount of control depends on how much effort you put in
* you can work on it independantly of others
* the power structure is very flat. The power of maintainers is
tempered by the threat of forks and disinterest
* leading is done by example not by order
* it allows private companies to cooperate in a non-proprietary
situation where one company can’t take advantage of another
An open source manufacturing license applies to all intellectual
materials associated with creating a product. This includes:
* designs for
** products
*** PCB designs
**** assembly drawings
**** schematics
**** parts listings
**** gerber info
*** firmware/software code
*** mechanical drawings
** manufacturing
*** machine specifications
*** machine setups
*** manufacturing procedures
*** jig designs
*** test fixtures
** marketing
*** product data sheets
*** white papers
*** marketing campaigns
** documentation
*** quick start guides
*** manuals
It should also specify how a franchise (a physical manifestation
of the above material) should operate. It should be:
* transparent from the outside
** logs of purchased items/quantity/price
** logs of outlays for saleries
** logs of intake for goods sold
** open deals with distributors
** open accounting of manufacturing operations
*** products produced per day
*** reject rates
** accounting of all power usage
** accounting of all inputs/outputs of the operation
It should also specify how capital will be raised and how voting
rights are distributed. Capital raising should:
* have a low barrier to participation
* take into account differing levels of wealth in different
locales
* shares should be apportioned not only for cash infows, but for
effective effort expended
* shares should be approtioned in such a way as to not give too
much power to one person or group of persons
Comparison with capitalistic enterprise
|Category |Capitalist |Open Source |
|IP |closed/proprietary |open/viewable by all|
|employee work |belongs to company |belongs to all |
|power structure |heirarchical |flat |
|leadership |by fiat |by example |
|volunteerism |very little |much if done well |
Possibilities of openness
* outsiders could audit
** money flows
** power flows
** material flows
* outsiders could user enterprise for study
** professors
** entreupenours
* technology transfer with other parts of globe
Other applications of open-accounting
* non-profits
* charities
* government
Potential problems
* privacy concerns
* too much power by one person
* salaried employees
* lack of closedness gives advantage to competitors