[p2p-research] Progress in P2P Fabrication

Mon Jan 21 05:44:22 CET 2008

Dear Sam,Marcin:

I'm posting this tomorrow, see
http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/marcin-jakubowskis-open-farm-the-most-important-social-experiment-in-the-world/2008/01/22

perhaps you can then add the message below either as a note or as a
follow-up?

Michel

text here, since it is as yet unaccessible:

Marcin Jakubowski has written a reply to our earlier
thoughtpiece<http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/the-intersection-between-the-immaterial-and-material-economies-how-can-it-work/2008/01/17>linking
the peer to peer information economy to the material economy.

He writes:

"*The answer to the p2p link of immaterial and material economy is
integration. This is what we're testing at our
lab<http://openfarmtech.org/weblog/>.
*

*The key summary is: 1. Develop open source design for products voluntarily.
2. Develop fabrication facilities, voluntarily. 3. Optimize everything,
voluntarily. 4. Provide goods for market from an open source, optimized,
replicable production facility.*

*How to do this voluntarily? Funding is needed. That's where a funding
mechanism is needed, and that, to me, is the cutting edge of open source
economic development. With this funding mechanism, we fund production
facilities, optimize, and everyone benefits: low cost, high quality
products, that cannot be matched by standard businesses because the open
source variant is lean, mean, and optimal. This is what we're working on*."

The funding project he mentions above is in fact a 3-year deployment plan
for a world-class research center for Open Source Economic Development.

His, partially misnamed because misleading 'open farm' project (it is so
much more than that, as it combines permaculture with
permafacture<http://p2pfoundation.net/Permafacture>,
i.e. sustainable manufacturing, is perhaps the most important social
experiment in the world.

So I would like to use that occasion to give some background to his project.
Marcin is an advocate of
Neosubsistence<http://www.p2pfoundation.net/Neosubsistence>which
should not be mistaken for autarcy or voluntary poverty:

He explains:

*That is the term "we apply to a lifestyle where people produce tangible
(physical) wealth, as opposed to dealing with information in the information
economy. We are talking about basics: even though we live in the information
economy, we cannot deny the reality that human prosperity is founded on the
provision of physical needs upon which the meeting of all higher needs is
predicated. Neosubsistence is related to the information economy in that the
information economy is a foundation for neosubsistence*"

The project is of considerable importance because it represents a concerted
effort that is derived from a synthetic understanding of sustainability, and
the very concrete effort to build a self-sustaining, but also open and
therefore trading global village, which combines local production with
cooperation on a global scale around open global design.

The project is first of all a farm, with naturally self-replicating plants
and animals, but at the same time it is an attempt to combine this this with
a self-sustaining environment for the flexible manufacturing towards local
needs.

Martin's project therefore comprises a reliance on (I'm citing paragraphs
from his document):

- *Flexible manufacturing*, i.e. a production facility where a small set of
non-specialized, general-function machines is capable of producing a wide
range of products <http://p2pfoundation.net/Flexible_Specialization> if
those machines are operated by skilled labor. It is the opposite of mass
production, where unskilled labor and specialized machinery produce large
quantities of the same item. When one adds digital fabrication to the
flexible fabrication mix – then the skill level on part of the operator is
reduced, and the rate of production is increased.

- *Digital fabrication*, i.e. the use of computer-controlled
fabrication<http://p2pfoundation.net/Digital_Fabrication_Primer>,
as instructed by data files that generate tool motions for fabrication
operations. Digital fabrication is an emerging byproduct of the computer
age. It is becoming more accessible for small scale production, especially
as the influence of open source philosophy is releasing much of the know-how
into non-proprietary hands. For example, the Multimachine is an open source
mill-drill-lathe by itself, but combined with computer numerical control
(CNC) of the workpiece table, it becomes a digital fabrication device.

- *a global repository of shared open source designs* -* introduces a unique
contribution to human prosperity. This contribution is the possibility that
data at one location in the world can be translated immediately to a product
in any other location.* This means anyone equipped with flexible fabrication
capacity can be a producer of just about any manufactured object. The
ramifications for localization of economies are profound, and leave the
access to raw material feedstocks as the only natural constraint to human
prosperity" (end of quotes)

Marcin has developed an integrated strategy to build the minimal set of
machines that are necessary to construct a community of 100 people, and that
can exist in a system of open franchising. This means that the system is
conceived to be self-replicating as a totality as well. What this
means is *that
anybody interested in creating a global village of the same style, will find
all the documentation needed to do so, and can rely on the training and
assistance of the pioneering communities*.

He calls this strategy:neo-commercialization

"*Neo-commercialization means that we can both 'commercialize' a product -
make it available for sale at competitive prices to others - and help others
replicate the enterprise itself. We are interested not only in production,
but also in business replication by others, because it's good for the world.
The replication goal is grounded firmly on the open source nature of the
entire development program*."

"*The concept of neo-commercialization embodies both our own ability to
produce and earn from the products, as well as our interest to disseminate
the products via open franchising. Open franchising means that our products
and production processes are under an unrestricted, open license, where
users are free to decide for themselves as to how they will use, develop, or
market the technologies. There are no strings attached. It is our private
interest to have people contribute back to open production capacity, but we
are not interested in policing the use of our creations. We are interested
in maximum dissemination, because we believe that our products have a
beneficial contribution to society. People are free to make living from our
products, and modify them how they choose*."

*Progress can be monitored at http://www.openfarmtech.org *

We are dedicating a full section of our wiki on peer production in the
physical sphere, where you can find documentation on many of the underlying
principles <http://p2pfoundation.net/Category:Design> that inspire Marcin's
project.

On Jan 21, 2008 1:06 AM, Samuel Rose <samuel.rose at gmail.com> wrote:

> To update some of you who expressed interest in this subject:
>
> Right now I am working with Marci Jakubowski to create an online/offline
> stakeholder development community around 16 key technologies:
>
> HABITAT PACKAGE: CEB Press<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=CEB_Press>-
> Sawmill <http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Sawmill> - Living
> Machines <http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Living_Machines> - Modular
> Housing Units<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Modular_Housing_Units>- Modular
> Greenhouse Units<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Modular_Greenhouse_Units>- Solar
> Turbine CHP System<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Solar_Turbine_CHP_System>- AGRICULTURE PACKAGE: Modular
> Greenhouse Units<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Modular_Greenhouse_Units>- Orchard
> and Nursery <http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Orchard_and_Nursery>- Electric
> Garden Tractor<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Electric_Garden_Tractor>- Organoponic
> Raised Bed Gardening<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Organoponic_Raised_Bed_Gardening>- Agricultural
> Microcombine<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Agricultural_Microcombine>-
> Bakery <http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Bakery> -Dairy<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Dairy>- Energy
> Food Bars <http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Energy_Food_Bars> - Agricultural
> Spader <http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Agricultural_Spader> - Well
> Drilling Rig <http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Well_Drilling_Rig> -
> Freeze Dried Fruit Powders<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Freeze_Dried_Fruit_Powders>- Hammer
> Mill <http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Hammer_Mill> - ENERGY
> PACKAGE: Solar Turbine CHP System<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Solar_Turbine_CHP_System>- Compressed
> Fuel Gas <http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Compressed_Fuel_Gas> - Inverters
> & Grid Intertie<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Inverters_%26_Grid_Intertie>- Electric
> Motors/Generators<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Electric_Motors/Generators>- Fuel
> Alcohol <http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Fuel_Alcohol> - FLEXIBLE
> INDUSTRY PACKAGE: Multimachine & Flex Fab<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Multimachine_%26_Flex_Fab>- Metal
> Casting and Extrusion<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Metal_Casting_and_Extrusion>- Plastic
> Extrusion & Molding<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Plastic_Extrusion_%26_Molding>- TRANSPORTATION: Open
> Source Car <http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Open_Source_Car> - Electric
> Motors/Generators<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Electric_Motors/Generators>- Electric
> Motor Controls<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Electric_Motor_Controls>- MATERIALS: Aluminum
> Extraction From Clays<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Aluminum_Extraction_From_Clays>-
> Bioplastics <http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Bioplastics>
>
> We are going to start a pilot project with the Compressed Earth Block
> technology. This is a first prototype:
>
>
> http://socialsynergyweb.org/opensourceecology/content/ceb-prototype-1-fab-0
>
> Over the next 6 months, we will seek out existing stakeholders, release
> design information, and co-develop and co-fund the design, and an open
> research and development center based in Missouri that will be open for
> international community to visit, for students to attend and pursue
> independent study, and for commercial end users, and contractors to buy both
> finished products and machines and technology to make the CEB from.
>
> Some of the technological and economic advantages of flexfab-produced CEB
> include:
>
> CEB - Compresssed Earth Block press<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressed_earth_block>- regarded as the highest quality natural building method; also used in
> upscale housing; does not require curing - so may be built continuously;
> lends itself to 100% onsite building material sourcing; excellent thermal,
> acoustic, and strength; aka structural masonry. Also usable in fences,
> cisterns, road paving, Usable for ovens in a bakery, pond dams, thermal
> storage cisterns, silos. Used for barns, dairy plant, bakery building,
> additional housing, greenhouses, etc. I would go so far as that could be the
> secret weapon of the entire operation. Other connections in diagram:
> requires soil to be pulverized, which may be done with the agricultural
> spader. May be used for building raised beds, modular building and
> greenhouse units. High value flex fab enterprise opportunity for any
> entrepreneur interested in fabrication of machine- huge profits are
> possible, because other CEBs are expensive ($25k for one of 3-5 brick/minute
> performance). Livelihood opportunity for independent builders. Requires as
> little as 1 person to operate. OSE design is based on power from tractor
> hydraulics - where the tractor is a general tool that can supply power to a
> large number of devices. Output with 2 people - a 6 foot high round wall, 20
> feet in diameter, 1 foot thick, can be built in one 8 hour day. Fabrication
> is simple - after metal is cut - a drill press is required for drilling
> holes for design-for-disassembly<http://openfarmtech.org/index.php?title=Design-for-disassembly>structure. Welding is required in a few places where bolting is not
> practical, such as the hopper box. Summary: a high performance, rapid,
> semi-skilled building technique, which lends itself as a building method for
> creating advanced civilizations. Lifetime design.
>
> ___
>
> We intend as project/movement/international community to try and compete
> *directly* with both outsourced/imported and domestic contracting and
> materials suppliers, first with flex fab-produced CEB, and then eventually
> with all of the 16 technologies produced above.
>
> If you are interested in this, I'll keep you informed, and we should be
> able to open up this community sometime within the next 2 weeks. Eventually,
> I will help Marcin move all of the wiki content over to this site, and there
> are, and will be some dynamic tools available for group decision making,
> group funding, and declaring relationships, etc.
>
>
>
> --
> Sam Rose
> Social Synergy
> Tel:+1(517) 639-1552
> Cel: +1-(517)-974-6451
> AIM: Str9960
> Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samrose
> skype: samuelrose
> email: samuel.rose at gmail.com
> http://socialsynergyweb.com/services
> http://blog.socialsynergyweb.com
>
> Related Sites/Blogs/Projects:
> OpenBusinessModels: http://socialsynergyweb.net/cgi-bin/wiki/FrontPage
> http://p2pfoundation.net
> http://blog.p2pfoundation.net
> http://www.cooperationcommons.com
> http://barcampbank.org
> http://bfwatch.barcampbank.org
> http://communitywiki.org
> http://extinctionlevelevent.com
>
> Information Filtering:
> http://ma.gnolia.com/people/srose/bookmarks
> http://del.icio.us/srose
> http://twitter.com/SamRose
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>

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