Maker Communities in Open Design and Manufacturing Across Europe

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* Report: Universities, Enterprises and Maker Communities in Open Design & Manufacturing across Europe: An exploratory study. By Laura Martelloni, Christina Priavolou et al. OD&M, 2018

URL = http://odmplatform.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/D3.1-ODM-Research-Report-reduced.pdf

Description

1.

OD&M is a Knowledge Alliance between HEIs, makers and manufacturers to boost Open Design & Manufacturing in Europe, which conducted research in the context of the Erasmus+ program of the European Union, starting in 2017 (36 month project). The P2P Foundation was one of the partners of the consortium via Alekos Pantazis, Christina Priavolou, and Vasilis Niaros.

2.

"The main objective of this research was to analyze how and to what extent the emerging open design and manufacturing paradigm (OD&M) is currently becoming the ground of progressive convergence and synergy between Universities, enterprises and maker communities, and how this ‘knowledge triangle’ is collaborating towards the creation of effective and meaningful value chains of innovation.

The research started by investigating the key competences and skills that presently characterise the ‘maker profile’, in order to draw a general picture of how these are developed, in which contexts, and through which particular teaching and learning processes. The research explored existing experiences and discussed with Higher Education’s representatives the drivers, barriers and possible scenarios stemming from the introduction of making education within formal learning.

Then, the research involved professional makers and OD&M enterprises (i.e. enterprises that show strong and direct connections with the open design and manufacturing paradigm) in order to get an in depht understanding of how making-related values, skills and competences are contributing to shape and inform their businesses.

Lastly, the research explored the perceptions and opinions of ‘traditional’ companies regarding these topics, and discussed with them the potential risks and benefits that may emerge for them from the OD&M paradigm.

We can say that the different levels of maturity of the maker movement – and, more generally, of the open design and manufacturing paradigm – in the different countries, poses clear challenges in the implementation of this type of research; on the other hand, it reflects the reality of an emerging phenomenon and points to both the challenges of a common path, and the opportunities of building common experimentations at European level." (http://odmplatform.eu/2018/01/05/an-exploratory-study-universities-enterprises-and-maker-communities-in-open-design-manufacturing-across-europe/)

Details

"The action-research has been coordinated by LAMA Agency and has actively involved teams of researchers from: University of Florence - DIDA (Italy), University of the Arts London (UK), University of Deusto - Faculty of Engineering (Spain), University of Dabrowa-Gornicza (Poland), University of Tongji (China), P2P Foundation (Netherlands), Furniture and Furnishing Centre (Italy). The other partners of the project (i.e. Fablab London, Fablab Lodz and Tecnalia) have contributed as key informants and hubs of connection with relevant stakeholders in the targeted countries.

The action-research has been carried out between March and August 2017 in the four main partner countries of the OD&M project, i.e. Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and Poland. The main objective was to analyse how and to what extent Universities, maker communities and enterprises – the OD&M Knowledge Triangle – are currently engaging with the emerging open design and manufacturing paradigm (OD&M), and to shed light on the main drivers and barriers that enable or limit the creation of a true OD&M ecosystems involving all these actors in a solid and vibrant environment of collaboration."

Executive Summary

"The present Report contains the results of an action-research developed in the context of the OD&M Project (A Knowledge Alliance between Higher Education Institutions, Makers and Manufacturers to boost Open Design & Manufacturing in Europe), funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ Programme, Knowledge Alliances strand. The main objective of the research was to analyse how and to what extent the emerging open design and manufacturing paradigm (OD&M) is currently becoming the ground of progressive convergence and synergy between Universities, enterprises and maker communities, and how this ‘knowledge triangle’ is collaborating towards the creation of effective and meaningful value chains of innovation.

The research started by investigating the key competences and skills that presently characterise the ‘maker profile’, in order to draw a general picture of how these are developed, in which contexts, and through which particular teaching and learning processes. Further, the research explored existing experiences of making-related initiatives promoted or partnered by Universities, and discussed with Higher Education’s representatives the drivers, barriers and possible scenarios stemming from the introduction of making education within formal learning. Then, the research involved professional makers and OD&M enterprises (i.e. enterprises that show strong and direct connections with the open design and manufacturing paradigm) in order to get an in depht understanding of how making-related values, skills and competences are contributing to shape and inform their businesses. Lastly, the research explored the perceptions and opinions of ‘traditional’ companies regarding these topics, and discussed with them the potential risks and benefits that may emerge for them from the OD&M paradigm.

Indeed, the different levels of maturity of the maker movement – and, more generally, of the open design and manufacturing paradigm – in the different countries, poses clear challenges in the implementation of this type of research; on the other hand, it reflects the reality of an emerging phenomenon and points to both the challenges of a common path, and the opportunities of building common experimentations at European level."

Contents

CHAPTER 1. The Maker Movement: Values and Principles

  1. The emergence of Makerspaces and Open Design and Manufacturing
  2. Values and principles of the Maker Movement
  3. Makers and makerspaces in the pilot countries of the OD&M project

CHAPTER 2. Makers: skills, competences and learning contexts

  1. Makers’ skills and competences: an overview
  2. Makers and formal learning
  3. Makers and non-formal learning
  4. Makers and informal learning

CHAPTER 3. Open Design and Manufacturing: points of view and perceptions of enterprises

  1. Innovative enterprises and open design and manufacturing
  2. Traditional enterprises and open design and manufacturing