Building Open Source Hardware: DIY Manufacturing for Hackers and Makers

Building Open Source Hardware: DIY Manufacturing for Hackers and Makers

by Alicia Gibb
Released December 2014
Publisher(s): Addison-Wesley Professional
ISBN: 9780133373912

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Book description

This is the first hands-on guide to the entire process of designing and manufacturing open source hardware. Drawing on extensive personal experience with DIY, maker, and hardware hacking projects, industry-leading contributors share proven approaches to design, remixing, fabrication, manufacturing, troubleshooting, licensing, documentation, and running an open source hardware business.

Part I covers the emergence and evolution of open source hardware, what open source hardware licenses mean, and the growing role of standards in making hardware more open. Part II offers contributors’ expert advice on key tasks, ranging from creating derivatives to using source files. Part III turns to production, showing how to manufacture at multiple scales–from personal to commercial.

Appendixes provide valuable checklists for design, manufacture, security, and documentation. And to foster even more hands-on learning and experimentation, the low-cost Blinky Buildings open source hardware kit is used as an example throughout.

Learn how to

  • Get involved in the open source hardware community–its history and values

  • Develop designs you can successfully prototype and manufacture

  • Walk step by step through making derivatives from existing projects

  • Build open source 3D printers, and remix 3D printable objects

  • Create open source wearables

  • Work with diverse source files, from electronics to other physical materials

  • Fabricate your own designs

  • Move from prototype to commercial manufacturing, and troubleshoot problems

  • Choose a business model and build a profitable open source hardware company

  • Avoid pitfalls associated with trademarks, copyrights, patents, and licensing

  • Write documentation other hardware hackers can use

  • Use open source hardware in education, helping students learn without boundaries

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    Table of contents

    1. About This eBook
    2. Title Page
    3. Copyright Page
    4. Dedication Page
    5. Contents
    6. Introduction
    7. Acknowledgments
    8. About the Authors
    9. I. Open Source Hardware Theory
      1. 1. History of the Open Hardware Movement
        1. The First Programs, Organizations, and Definitions
        2. TAPR OHL
        3. OHANDA
        4. OSHW Definition, Summit, and Logo
        5. CERN OHL
        6. Forking of Open Hardware and Open Source Hardware
        7. Creation of OSHWA
        8. References
      2. 2. OSHW Definition and Best Practices
        1. Open Source Hardware Definition
        2. Best Practices
        3. Summary
      3. 3. Licensing Open Source Hardware
        1. Licensing
        2. Open Licenses in the Context of OSHW
        3. Copyright, Patent, and Trademark: Rights That You Might Be Able to License
        4. Actually Licensing a Copyright, Patent, or Trademark
        5. What to Do Now
        6. Summary
        7. Resources
      4. 4. Standardization of Open Source Hardware
        1. Firming up the Soft Parts: Making Software Firmer
        2. Softening up the Hard Parts: Making Hardware More Flexible
        3. Other Standardization and Regulation
        4. Summary
    10. II. Hands On!
      1. 5. The Design Process: How to Get from Nothing to Something
        1. The Phase of Projects
        2. Iterative Design and Concept Refinement
        3. Setting up Your Workflow
        4. Managing Constant Iteration
        5. Every Master Plan Has an Exit Strategy
        6. Preparing for Manufacturing
        7. Summary
        8. Resources
      2. 6. Making a Derivative
        1. Derivatives and Open Source Hardware
        2. Blinky Buildings Project
        3. Summary
      3. 7. Modifying the Shape of an Arduino
        1. Shapes of an Arduino Derivative
        2. Before You Begin
        3. Determining Your Board Outline
        4. Lay Out Your Arduino Derivative in Eagle
        5. Manufacturing Your Board
        6. Summary
        7. Resources
      4. 8. Remix a 3D Print(er)
        1. Dawn of the Desktop 3D Printer
        2. Open Hardware Design for 3D Printing
        3. Next Steps
        4. Summary
        5. Resources
      5. 9. Wearables
        1. History of Wearables
        2. Conductive Textiles
        3. Sewable Microcontrollers and Components
        4. EL Wire/Tape/Panel
        5. Tools and Techniques
        6. Managing Expectations
        7. Future of Wearables
        8. Summary
        9. Resources
      6. 10. Physical Materials
        1. Centralized Online Hub for Information Sharing
        2. Benefits for the Designers and Customers
        3. Flexing the Open Source Hardware Definition to Fit Other Physical Objects and Products That Require Multiple Types of Manufacturing
        4. A Range of Products and Industries
        5. Summary
    11. III. Production Bits
      1. 11. Personal Manufacturing in the Digital Age
        1. Personal Fabrication, Processes, Parts, and Materials
        2. Case Studies
        3. Questions for the Future
        4. Summary
      2. 12. Accelerate from Making to Manufacturing
        1. Manufacturing Partner Decision
        2. How SparkFun Electronics Grew to Scale
        3. Kitting
        4. Design for Manufacturability
        5. Equipment Selection and Implementation
        6. Supply Chain/Purchasing
        7. Resource Planning and Scheduling
        8. Testing and Quality Control
        9. Future of Open Source, Small-Scale Manufacturing
        10. Summary
      3. 13. Troubleshooting from Your Design to Your Manufacturer
        1. Manufacturable Designs
        2. Selecting Manufacturers
        3. The Manufacturing Handoff
        4. What Could Really Go Wrong?
        5. Quality Control
        6. Creative Fixes
        7. Summary
      4. 14. Taxonomy of Hardware Documentation
        1. README.txt
        2. Product Webpage
        3. Hardware Source Files
        4. Making the Pieces Visible: Bill of Materials
        5. Tutorials
        6. Creating Community
        7. Summary
        8. Resources
      5. 15. Business
        1. A Natural Business Model
        2. The Brand
        3. The Open Source Hardware and Open Design Business Model Matrix
        4. Summary
      6. 16. Building Open Source Hardware in Academia
        1. Life in the Ivory Tower: An Overview
        2. Benefits of OSHW for the Academic
        3. Increased Visibility, Citations, and Public Relations
        4. Increased Funding Opportunities and Student Recruitment
        5. Virtuous Cycle
        6. OSHW Teaching and Service
        7. Summary
        8. References
    12. Conclusion
      1. Changing Incentives
      2. Maturity of the Open Source Hardware Movement
      3. Looking to the Future
    13. A. Open Source Hardware Checklist
      1. OSHW Musts and Mays
    14. B. Open Source Hardware Security Do’s and Don’ts
      1. Resources
    15. C. Design Process Checklist
      1. Concept Refinement
      2. Managing Iteration
      3. Preparing to Manufacture
    16. D. Design for Manufacture Checklists
      1. Finding the Right Contract Manufacturer
      2. SparkFun’s Core Design for Manufacturability Standards
      3. SparkFun’s Ancillary Design for Manufacturability Standards
      4. Troubleshooting
    17. E. Mach 30’s Documentation Ground Rules
    18. F. Blinky Buildings Source Files
      1. README
      2. About This Kit
      3. Materials and Tools
      4. Attribution
      5. Licensing
      6. Source Files
    19. Glossary
    20. Index
    21. Code Snippets

    Product information

    • Title: Building Open Source Hardware: DIY Manufacturing for Hackers and Makers
    • Author(s): Alicia Gibb
    • Release date: December 2014
    • Publisher(s): Addison-Wesley Professional
    • ISBN: 9780133373912