Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
safely and at their own risk. We also decided that we didn't want to get
into the factory automation business.
FARKUS could have become an in-house, proprietary system, but
we're thrilled to think about a future in which all products aren't made
halfway around the world. FARKUS is still an experiment, and we're
publishing the results of each build: both time saved and return on in-
vestment. We're amped on local manufacturing. I heartily encourage
you to build a conveyance and a couple modules, share them, and man-
ufacture a few thousand widgets right in your garage.
Details, CAD, code, schematics, videos, and more information can
be found at this address:
www.modrobotics.com/farkus
.
Summary
In the end, the steps followed in manufacturing an open source product are not really any
differentfromthestepsrequiredtoassembleaclosedsourceproduct.Surroundingtheopen
source movement, however, is a DIY ethos that encourages those pushing the bounds of
open source hardware progression to own as much of the development of that hardware as
possible. Manufacturing your own products is an extremely rewarding experience, albeit
one that comes with a unique set of challenges that are both separate and yet intrinsically
tied to the challenges of designing those same products. Those challenges can be overcome
with greater ease as the community of open source manufacturers continues to share the
lessons learned and best practices that have been developed along the way. With the reas-
surance that you're not alone in this challenge, you can go forth and make … in extremely
large volumes!
