3D Printing Network - effort to combine 3D printer and printing development [supported by Free Software Foundation Europe]

Hi,

A new effort to unite scattered 3D printing development under one brand has been established under the wings of Free Software Foundation
Europe.

The 3D Printing Network (3DPN) is a neutral, non-partisan, public network of 3D printing professionals facilitated by FSFE. 3DPN is an open source driven network, which enables co-operation among multiple companies and a volunteer community. One goal is to develop future 3D printing related solutions such as a 3D Printing management platform. 3DPN aims to engage all existing 3D printer manufacturers and software developers in the project, both open and closed source, and gather the broad 3D printing open source community under one brand.

The network will reside within the Free Software Foundation Europe and will be governed by a Technical Steering Group. The Technical Steering Group is the primary decision-making body for the open source project, with a focus on platform development and delivery, along with the formation of working groups to support different 3D manufacturing devices and software.

PURPOSE

The 3D Printing Network has been formed to guide the industry role of 3D printing, including gathering of requirements, identification and facilitation of service models, and overall industry marketing and education. The platform will provide a robust and flexible environment to utilize 3D printing in variable environments and to fit different needs such as product development and prototyping, unique model manufacturing, and other industries. The platform integrates several different 3D printers from various vendors.

JOIN THE NETWORK

Persons wishing to join the The 3D Printing Network are encouraged to subscribe to the network mailing list and participate in local network meet-ups and other activities. Company participation is also welcome and further discussion regarding membership should be done with the coordinator.

- Join mailing list here: [lists.fsfe.org]
- For more instant discussion try IRC channel: #3d-printing (freenode)

FUTURE?
Rest is up to the community. The more activity we have, the more credibility we have, the more support we get. The roadmap for future is not carved in stone. There are some major items that are intended to become real in near future. Here’ a few of those:

• Intention is to invite all major players in 3D printing to participate in the network (such as printing service providers, printer manufacturers, software companies).
• Invite all existing open source communities working around 3D printing to participate.
• Start local groups around the world. They can start for example inside existing groups and networks and ‘grow up’ later.
• Organize international 2-day conference around Jan/Feb 2013.
• The next thing to do is have discussion in mailing list about what we do, how we do it and when.

I have written something about the future project in my blog:

• http://blog.ossoil.com/2012/04/26/3d-printing-network-bringing-people-together/ (pretty much the same as in this message)
• http://blog.ossoil.com/2011/12/02/3d-cups-printer-job-management-needed/
• http://blog.ossoil.com/2012/04/12/growing-3d-printing-ecosystem/

Current homepage: http://wiki.fsfe.org/3d-printing

Feel free to spread the word around,

Cheers,

3DPN Coordinator,
Jarkko Moilanen
Email: jarkko(at)fsfe.org

Please no. Innovation is currently rapid and what is not needed right now is an official committee to stifle innovation.

billyzelsnack Wrote:
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> Please no. Innovation is currently rapid and what
> is not needed right now is an official committee
> to stifle innovation.

Well, that's one viewpoint to this. Yet it does not have to be innovation blocker. If other somewhat similar efforts around various technologies have fallen to being rigid and stifle, does not necessary mean that this should be. If the community is active right from the start, the better chances it has to make things go in better direction. But yeah, if current situation is in your opinion the best possible, then there is no need to fix anything. Nevertheless, by combining different parties at least in discussion level, would most likely benefit all. I agree that 'just discussion' is not the aim. First aim is to start building proper printer and job management which is based on network, not USB cables.

Can you name one instance of a standards committee that did not stifle innovation?

Yes. I do believe the current situation is the best situation possible. Independent innovators innovating independently. I'll call it the IIII committee.

btw, I plug a USB cable into my $30 inkjet printer. It's probably ok to plug a USB cable into my 3d printer too.

This is completely retarded. Please go away.

3d printing already has plenty of groups and networks; you are adding no value here and are just going to further fragment the already very fragmented community.

3d printing doesn't need standards, it needs people addressing the current limitations of the technology with basic, thorough research and development.

Thanks for the swift reply.

billyzelsnack Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Can you name one instance of a standards committee
> that did not stifle innovation?
>

No

> Yes. I do believe the current situation is the
> best situation possible. Independent innovators
> innovating independently. I'll call it the IIII
> committee.
>
> btw, I plug a USB cable into my $30 inkjet
> printer. It's probably ok to plug a USB cable into
> my 3d printer too.

But it did not stop there even in the world of 'inkjets', did it? Not all of the printers are personal. Anyway, I get the message. If people here don't see any value in hybrid open source development model (volunteer community and companies together), then this is wrong forum. My apologies.

Sounds both lame AND useless

LOL, just what I thought, "3D printing would be so much better if a super-committee took charge of it" - not!

I can't figure out what the organisation is actually going to do, it looks like it was written by a jargon generator. Surely, the first rule when trying to create an umbrella organisation is to consult the community first and see what their goals are. Then draw up some plans based on that.
Otherwise it just looks like trying to hijack a "brand" (sic).

bobc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> LOL, just what I thought, "3D printing would be so
> much better if a super-committee took charge of
> it" - not!
>
> I can't figure out what the organisation is
> actually going to do, it looks like it was written
> by a jargon generator. Surely, the first rule when
> trying to create an umbrella organisation is to
> consult the community first and see what their
> goals are. Then draw up some plans based on that.

I agree. That jargon is just a place holder for the real identified aims, which I did ask from the community in the first email (https://lists.fsfe.org/pipermail/3d-printing/2012-April/000000.html). I do understand that RepRap is huge and people working with 3D printing owe a lot to the community. Still, it is not the only community. Furthermore, I'm not saying that anyone should abandon RepRap community. I'm just offering a chance to do things differently with companies (working with 3D printers).

> Otherwise it just looks like trying to hijack a
> "brand" (sic).

I agree.

billyzelsnack Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Can you name one instance of a standards committee
> that did not stifle innovation?

IETF

That sounds horrible.

You know its bureaucrat waffle when you have to decipher whole paragraphs and it still doesn't seem to mean anything.

Were too much a heard of cat's for it to work anyway.

And it kind of sounded like business attempting to control our individualistic open source development. For what ends and who's benefit?

No thank you.

Goodbye.

---

Make your Mendel twice as accurate.
[www.thingiverse.com]

Quote
The roadmap for future is not carved in stone. There are some major items that are intended to become real in near future.

da fuq?

Quote
[*] The next thing to do is have discussion in mailing list about what we do, how we do it and when.

I envoke rule 34




The only thing that creeps me out is that somewhere in that idea of yours. there is money involved, you talk about marketing and international conferences, and all i hear is "gief money plx"

Sign me up Boss!!!
The whole reason I came to this forum was to be exploited by the greedy.

Madkite Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And it kind of sounded like business attempting to
> control our individualistic open source
> development. For what ends and who's benefit?
>

Well, Jarkko fails to mention, is that he appears to be closely involved with a startup company trying to get into the 3D printer business. They are looking for employees, investors, customers and don't appear to have any experience in 3D printing. They do have an office and a nice website though.

So I guess they think this new "organisation" is a way to get themselves a fast track into the 3D printer business.

bobc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Madkite Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > And it kind of sounded like business attempting
> to
> > control our individualistic open source
> > development. For what ends and who's benefit?
> >
>
> Well, Jarkko fails to mention, is that he appears
> to be closely involved with a startup company
> trying to get into the 3D printer business. They
> are looking for employees, investors, customers
> and don't appear to have any experience in 3D
> printing. They do have an office and a nice
> website though.
>

I also fail to mention that my background is in open source and hacker culture. I've founded Tampere hackerspace (http://5w.fi), have been involved in Ubuntu Finland and was MeeGo Network Finland community manager for a year. What's wrong with being in startup? Even in this forum people announce new companies.

> So I guess they think this new "organisation" is a
> way to get themselves a fast track into the 3D
> printer business.

I do know something about values in hacker culture and open source. If you really think that FSFE would back up this effort if it was just 'organisation' for our startup, you might think again. I admit that our intention is to enter '3D printer' market, but not as printer manufacturer. We will build management software for printer farms and open source the core.