United States - Flag United States

Please confirm your currency selection:

Bench Talk for Design Engineers

Bench Talk

rss

Bench Talk for Design Engineers | The Official Blog of Mouser Electronics


Make it Happen: The Maker Movement
On May 31, 2016 in Maker by Justin Risedorf
Justin Risedorf


“They don’t make things like they used to.”

 

But there may still be some hope; today’s maker movement, helped along by open source hardware, may be able to replenish some of the awe that the Industrial Revolution took from us. Not to disrespect mass production, I’m as much a fan of affordable goods as the next person, but it seems sterile now. Products seem manufactured, not thoughtfully designed and crafted. 

 

The maker movement, though, is tackling this head on. Quite simply, “makers” are innovative pioneers dedicated to finding the overlap between DIY projects, technology, and community. Makerspaces, which serve as the nuclei for the local maker communities, are like tool sheds for the techie and the tinkerer alike. They house industrial equipment not typically available to the average person, like 3D Printers and laser cutters, and serve as hubs for collaboration and idea exchange. Access to these kinds of resources allows designers, engineers and next-door neighbors alike to become inventors.

 

While this flight from the assembly line and return to the workbench may seem regressive, the maker movement is pretty cutting edge. 3D printers, drones, software and other technologies of the like are spurring the makers on in their quest for smart innovation. Universities across the nation are investing in communal innovation spaces, with notable Engineering schools like MIT pioneering the way. With the maker movement building momentum, it’s possible that art again becomes pragmatic and product development again becomes communal.

 

Further, makerspaces stand as a new frontier for entrepreneurship – for real entrepreneurship. Because there’s a potential to make a profitable product with few barriers to get started. If you have an idea, you have the means to execute it. It doesn’t take large amounts of capital or an intricate web of connections. Makerspaces typically operate on a membership model, making access to one just as common as access to a gym. So people with an idea and enough drive to make it happen can actually design and build a product for the market.

 

Currently, makerspaces aren’t having much impact on the global manufacturing economy. But while they might not serve as an actual competitor for the manufacturing industry, they do serve as an exciting avenue for people to get more involved in their community and in the art of making things. So the next time you’re doing something and you think “Hmm, this would be so much easier if only I had this thing,” perhaps you should make it.

 

You might have a makerspace near you. To find out more, check out some makerspaces here: Paxspace, TechShop, Milwaukee Makerspace, Dallas Makerspace, RaumZeitLabor, Chattanooga Library 4th Floor makerspace, and there might be one in a strip mall near you…

 



« Back


Justin is a contributing author who loves to read and write about the advancements of technology and robotics. When not at work, you can find him conquering Risk and Catan or on an adventure with his wife and kids. Last Father's Day he received a #1 dad shirt, so now that's official.


Related Posts

  • Maker Movement Disrupts Electronics Sector

    In its pomp the electronics retailer RadioShack enjoyed years of big profits from nerds looking for components for their next electronics project. (Two of those nerds used the company’s diodes and transistors to build a “blue box”, a device that tricked the phone system into letting them make free long-distance phone calls. Later those same nerds, both named Steve, went on to found Apple.) But then RadioShack changed its identity, lost its core constituency and, after years of struggle, filed for Chapter 11 in 2015.

  • The Making of Makers

    When it comes to making a Maker, education, mentoring, and big ideas are key. Projects become about the journey of problem solving, and big ideas.

  • Rise of the “Maker Pro”: Selling Your First 100 Products

    Never before in the history of invention has it been so easy to turn an idea into a reality. The Maker Movement has proven that there are still plenty of great products to be built and companies to grow. Many folks who are not classically trained in any technical field are becoming empowered to design, build, and create in ways that until recently were just simply not possible.

  • Solving the Power Design Dilemma: Make Vs. Buy

    Unlike electronics from a decade ago, modern electronics design often emphasizes extremely compact mobile/portable solutions. Explore the latest power module solutions and how they may tip the balance in favor of the buy argument regarding high-density or volume/footprint-constrained power system design.

  • Make Your Own Job with Open Source Hardware: What Students Don’t Know

    When jobs are scarce, open source hardware is opening doors for young engineers to gain experience, offering an alternative to simply waiting in between job searches. In slow economic times, engineers (and non-engineers alike) can go straight toward working for themselves, designing custom electronics systems for low volume applications such as vending machines, environmental data logging, drones for police, or designing custom solutions as consultants.

  • USB Power Delivery Makes Circuit Protection Mandatory

    The additional voltage and current introduced to the popular USB standard by USB-PD multiplies hazards and makes circuit protection essential. But designing protection against all threats can be complex and expensive. Integrated solutions from chip makers simplify the task.
11114 Views
Tagged With: Maker, Makespaces

Search

Categories

Featured Authors

All Authors

Show More Show More
View Blogs by Date

Archives