Mount Currie Community Development Organisation (MCCDO)
We accept 100% K'Mali
Community Factory:
We intend to Develop a 'Maker-Space' for Sustainability Technology research and incubate Open-Source and DIY Manufacturing.
In collaboration with EG Permaculture Primary Co-operative Ltd. MCCDO intends to upgrade a 400 m2 farm shed into a multi-functional ‘maker-space’ and 'tool-share' community factory which will also host exhibitions and community development events. The Community Factory (CF) will enable and incubate African Makers to use Open-Source, Biomimicry, DIY, off-grid and digital fabrication techniques and technologies to solve local challenges like affordable access to farm production equipment, "green" energy solutions (lighting, heating, cooking), water purification, and lifestyle products etc. Ultimately the CF will bootstrap a new localised manufacturing and distribution phenomenon whereby anything can and will be designed without copyright and fabricated to address local needs. Within this context we will take the potentiality of the CF workshop and lab to the next level by improving the hands-on problem solving methodology and capacity within communities and by sharing our solutions globally.
In response to Humans Need Not Apply
Open Community Manufacturing (OCM) is characteristic of sustainable technology transfer systems that allow for communities to innovate, pool resources, access equipment (‘ToolShare’), share open-source DIY processes, search for Biomimicry inspiration and connect globally with fellow makers such as ‘the MakerSpace’. The intention is to bring manufacturing operations closer in time and space to the final customer, developing the possibilities of moving from batch to continuous on demand flow manufacturing in order to address some of the developmental and social-economic challenges South Africa faces. A new Community Factory concept integrating entrepreneur and manufacturing incubators, ToolShare, MakerSpace, Open-Source Hardware etc. needs to be developed, which will put the means of production back in people’s hands and provide instant manufacturing support and open customization services locally. A Community Factory addressing adaptation to customer needs at or near the point of sale or use, should be characterized by fast ramp-up, small environmental footprint and reusability, and should be easy to handle and to set-up. OCM should also include new technologies for supply chain management, product distribution and direct end-user interaction.
Open Community Manufacturing (OCM)
To start, CF has partnered with the Rapid Product Development Laboratory in Department of Industrial Engineering at Stellenbosch University and with other stakeholders like Ecovest Holdings Pty Ltd that have acquired and developed substantial and valuable technical knowledge, know-how, and experience in the design and development of manufacturing systems and off-grid residential solutions to manufacture and assemble sustainable life-style products that help address the needs of millions of people who are not connected to the formal economy or energy grid and who live in challenging informal or rural settlements.
The products we will produce at the CF, will be dignified alternative solutions that utilise clean energy technology, upcycle waste materials and sustainable procurement. The Community Factory will help contribute to poverty alleviation and the extended growth of micro and small enterprises in a regenerative business value chain that integrates localised informal Spaza shops. This initiative connects the social economy to government’s initiatives for growth and the elimination of poverty.
The CF will also focus on training, incubation, warehousing, assembly, packaging, marketing, sales and distribution to support other possible OCM micro manufacturing hubs in further afield informal communities. This new manufacturing paradigm will also help create other product assembly opportunities, new work (jobs) and various degrees of engineering skills transfer in Southern Kwa-Zulu Natal and the upper Eastern Cape’s manufacturing industry.
By building a Community Factory which is linked directly to a global network of DIY manufacturing, higher R&D institutions and open-source entrepreneurs, the CF will remain up to date with cutting edge trends and thereby effectively inspire, mentor and empower the youth living in nearby impoverished communities to co-create an ecosystem of pro-active innovation, problem solving, production, distribution and wealth creation .
Source: Seliger, G. et al. (2012)
Project Scope
Establish manufacture capability for skill development and self-empowerment by proving how open collaborative manufacturing systems supported by engineering sciences, innovation platforms and co-creative designs can contribute to the development and empowerment of rural communities. Communities are engaged with by engineering students, manufacturing specialists in tertiary education institutions and industrial partners to manufacture different machines, equipment and technologies that could be used to sustainably build a small civilization with modern comforts. The directive is to be open-source, low cost, modular, user-serviceable, DIY, closed loop, high performance, flexible, distributive and efficient.
Prototyping the Future (example from France)
Project Aims & Motivation:
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Starting in Kokstad, establish open manufacture capability that develops skill and self-empowerment.
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Develop the next generation of manufacturing systems (new Community Factory concept) in response to the emerging need for manufacturing development and production to be decentralized, rapidly responsive and customised.
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Transfer skills in Engineering sciences and manufacturing to rural communities.
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Decentralize merchandise development and production.
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Build and disseminate sustainable technologies and equipment.
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Develop entrepreneurs and create employment opportunities.
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Biomimicry and Cradle to cradle design to re-engineer waste materials so as to have positive environmental and community Impact.
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Social-economic impacted by value added local manufacturing.
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Innovation achieved through global and local collaborate co-creative open source design.
It is possible to scale and replicate this concept throughout South Africa by setting up an interconnected network of autonomous training and manufacturing incubators in community Centres' or mobile AWS (Autonomous Work Systems). These manufacturing incubators will make it possible with an open source software and hardware platforms to eventually put the means to produce physical objects in the hands of every individual and community.
Project elements:
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Increase ability to rapidly follow the market dynamics by means of fast production and delivery of personalized final products.
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Reduction of time to market from production to purchase
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Cost reduction by decreasing lead times in product/process development.
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Prepay production, CSM (Community Supported Manufacturing)
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Set-up and ramp-up time reduction for new processes and plant designs of the mini-factories.
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Reduction in environmental impact and resources consumption per produced unit compared to traditional larger factories, together with an increased use of more environment-friendly materials.
Using Open Design platforms the IP-barrier can be eliminated to promptly integrate skill development incubators into a collective support system. The developed value chain for OCM Development is to ensure synergies amongst various stakeholders is divided into four core phases – Community Needs Analysis, Open Design, Advanced Manufacturing and Assembly processes.
Establishing Synergies – OCM Development Challenge Value Chain
Economic Rationale: Viability and sustainability
Advanced production equipment and innovative systems are needed to enable ultra-fast and cost-effective manufacturing of fully customized products on the spot and exactly at the required time. Innovative production solutions should be developed to bring manufacturing operations closer in time and space to the final customer, eventually exploring the possibilities of moving from batch to continuous flow manufacturing. In addition, new Community Factory concepts will be developed, such as on-site factories or factories-in-a-container, which provide instant manufacturing and customization services locally, for example in retail environments or at utilization sites.
The next generation of Community Engineers, Artisans and Innovators
Development Impact: on poverty and quality of life
These Community factories, will create multiple employment opportunities across the value chain and enable decentralization of the urban metropolitan jungles and re-population of the many smaller towns and villages across South Africa. They will also result in adaptation to customer needs at or near the point of sale or use, will be characterised by fast ramp-up, small environmental footprint and re-usability and will be easy to handle and to set-up. Those production systems will include new technologies for supply chain management, product distribution and direct end-user interaction.