An open source set of machines for Fab Labs and Open Labs
A synonym for global knowledge and accessible local production.
We are developing the OpenLab Starter Kit - an open source set of machine tools for Fab Labs and Open Labs. Setting up a digital fabrication workshop requires a range of machines that often need to be imported and are quite costly. The collaboration between the New Production Institute at Helmut Schmidt University and InMachines has resulted in the Open Lab Starter Kit (OLSK).
This gives more people access to manufacturing technologies. Production and value creation are thus also possible in places where the demand for products arises (e.g. in developing countries).
The OLSK consists of 8 digital manufacturing machines (including 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC milling machines, 3D scanners and vinyl cutters) with the following objectives:
- Development of open source manufacturing machines
- Establishment of Fab Labs that exclusively use open source hardware and software
- Documentation of the reproduction process
- Sharing knowledge about the machines
- Closing the gap between commercial and open source machines
- Lowering the barriers to accessing digital manufacturing technologies
- Empowering people to replicate and modify machines according to their own needs and involving everyone in this process
- Promoting local production and the circular economy in Fab Cities.
Although the development of the OLSK is still ongoing, we have already achieved remarkable results: The small OLSK 3D printer, the small OLSK CNC router and the small OLSK laser cutter show performances comparable to some of the best digital fabrication machines available on the market in terms of quality and speed.
Repository
All open-source digital fabrication machines from the OpenLab Starter Kit are documented on GitHub, a network-based version control service for software development projects that allows the knowledge behind the machines to be shared.
Funding
The OpenLab Starter Kit is funded as part of the dtec.bw research project Fab City at Helmut Schmidt University (HSU/UniBw H) - dtec.bw is funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU.
Contact
InMachines Ingrassia GmbH
Managing Director: Daniele Ingrassia
0049 (0) 177 4978312
Röntgenstr. 18A
21493, Schwarzenbek, Germany
