Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
that are industrially produced. Such devices are optimized for translation from the digital
design to the physical object. They make use of a variety of processes, from the much-
hyped 3D printing to the more prosaic (but potentially more useful) techniques of laser
cutting, CNC milling, and circuit board fabrication. They allow for a variety of materials
and aesthetics. They can be adapted by individuals for their own needs and interests. They
allow for different business models, in which objects can be made on demand or in small
quantities to serve specific markets or particular individuals.
Of course, none of this eliminates the need for individual skill, whether in the design
process or in the use of the fabrication machines. Good CAD tools can make the process
easier, but translating an idea into concrete form requires many decisions and comprom-
ises that rely on human skill, experience, and intuition. Similarly, making effective use of
a fabrication machine relies on knowledge of its configuration, operation, limitations, and
quirks. Technology offers possibilities, but people turn those possibilities into reality. Sim-
ilar considerations exist in open source software, where peer production doesn't eliminate
the need for expertise on the part of contributors but rather provides new ways of organiz-
ing and combining those individuals' skills and efforts.
The two case studies discussed in this chapter—dealing with Arduino boards and my
own consumer electronic devices—illustrate different possibilities and limitations of
working with these techniques. Together, they illustrate this new personal manufacturing
ecosystem, highlighting its implications for product design, for collaboration, and for
business. They show some of the ways that digital technology can transform the produc-
tion of objects, but also indicate some of the constraints derived from industrial systems
that persist in personal manufacturing. They provide some hints of what a peer production
ecosystem for electronic devices might look like, yet also point out some of the diffi-
culties to be overcome in creating one.
The next section gives an overview of personal fabrication and the considerations in-
volved in going from an open source hardware design file to an actual physical object.
This discussion is followed by the two case studies. The lessons from the case studies are
used to derive some general principles for open source hardware and personal manufac-
turing. Finally, I conclude with some questions and thoughts for the future.
