1. EN3D
Project
JF
Brandon
Introduction
Bolivia
is
one
of
many
countries
with
a
severe
lack
of
access
to
electricity,
in
spite
of
the
massive
potential.
The
EN3D
Project
utilizes
crowdsourcing
to
come
up
with
renewable
energy
systems
for
the
poorest
people
of
rural
Bolivia.
These
systems
can
be
3D
printed
by
a
FabLab
and
assembled
and
sold
locally.
I
have
a
degree
in
International
Development
and
built
the
first
3D
printer
in
Bolivia.
I
have
been
writing
about
3D
Printing
since
its
infancy
and
crowdfunded
$3,300
to
print
the
largest
3D
print
in
North
America
(2
meters
tall).
Since
2011
I
have
been
leading
US
expansion
for
DShape,
the
creator
of
the
largest
3D
Printer
in
the
World
(6x6
m
print
bed,
utilizes
recycled
materials
as
an
input)
3D
Printing’s
Untapped
Opportunity
When
we
built
our
first
printer
in
Bolivia
in
2011,
we
had
difficulty
finding
CAD
users
locally
or
any
designs
that
we
could
make.
There
was
a
demand
for
cheap
renewable
energy
systems
in
Bolivia,
and
we
knew
we
could
make
them
there,
but
we
were
missing
the
necessary
Human
Capital.
There
are
nearly
450,000
Engineers
and
Designers
with
CAD
software
skills
on
GrabCAD
and
Thingiverse.
We
want
to
leverage
the
inventive
capacities
British,
Brazilian
or
Indian
CAD
users
to
create
products
that
improve
the
lives
of
the
less
fortunate
elsewhere.
In
a
phrase,
we
are
the
Quirky
for
Social
and
Economic
Development.
Be
it
through
better
solar
heaters,
micro-­‐wind
turbines
or
3D
printed
pumping
systems.
EN3D
Process
is
a
Proven
Concept
We
have
already
perfected
the
concept.
First
we
remotely
collaborated
with
an
Engineer
in
Mexico
to
perfect
our
Solar
Tracker
design.
Last
month
we
challenged
300,000
users
on
GrabCAD.com
to
come
up
with
better
ideas
for
a
solar-­‐powered
light
bottle,
receiving
57
entries
from
Australia
to
Zambia.
Originally
we
wanted
to
develop
ideas
for
Energy,
but
realized
that
our
chosen
design
technique
could
be
applied
in
all
categories,
by
developing
better
3D
printed
Looms
for
local
textile
businesses
for
example.
The
modern-­‐day
FabLab
is
the
nexus
of
EN3D,
complete
with
quality
3D
Printers,
tools,
a
laser
cutters
and
a
CNC
machine.
It
is
matched
with
a
number
of
professional
people
who
know
how
to
operate
them.
Everyday
new
designs
and
ideas
flow
in
from
the
Cloud
of
Engineers
and
Designers
while
product
flows
out
to
be
tested
or
sold.
We
would
partner
up
with
Energética,
Bolivia’s
largest
Renewable
Energy
Company
and
local

2. Industrial
Design
firm
Phocos
to
provide
support
for
testing
and
installation
of
our
first
products
like
the
Solar
Tracker
and
the
LED
Light
Bottle.
How
We
Scale
Funds
would
be
spent
building
the
first
such
FabLab
in
Cochabamba,
Bolivia.
A
lease
would
be
secured,
a
local
and
international
staff
of
engineers
and
designers
with
a
mix
of
skills
in
electrical,
industrial
and
mechanical
design.
Then
we
would
be
spending
our
first
year
concentrating
on
crowdsourcing
designs
from
GrabCAD
(300,000
users)
and
Thingiverse
(150,000
users)
to
come
up
with
ideas
and
designs.
The
winners
would
be
awarded
money
and
a
guaranteed
share
of
profits,
with
the
rest
put
towards
opening
more
FabLabs
across
the
World.
There
are
risks
that
what
we
make
isn’t
needed,
or
there
are
cheaper
alternatives.
Every
EN3D
FabLab
will
be
constantly
trying
new
ideas,
discarding
those
that
don’t
work
or
aren’t
needed.
We
are
confident
that
we
can
beat
everyone
on
price.
The
costs
are
low
for
simple
reasons.
The
total
cost
of
finding
a
great
design
is
low,
For
example,
we
spent
$500
for
our
LED
Light
Bottle
Design
Challenge.
Designers
had
to
incorporate
our
bill
of
materials
in
order
to
keep
our
design
below
$5.
And
of
course,
3D
printing
means
we
have
a
minimal
physical
inventory.
And
since
we
are
making
everything
as
local
as
possible,
there
are
no
shipping
costs.
Conclusion
Thomas
Edison
didn’t
invent
the
light
bulb
by
himself.
He
first
invented
the
first
modern
Research
lab
to
help
him
invent
it,
bringing
together
the
smartest
people
and
the
best
tools
available
into
one
place.
In
a
similar
way,
we
want
to
leverage
the
Internet,
Crowdsourcing
and
3D
Printing
and
bring
it
into
one
place,
an
EN3D
FabLab.
Guided
by
my
experienced
hand,
EN3D
will
be
able
to
change
the
world
for
the
better
by
directly
helping
those
in
need.