LoT >> Library of Things

This project needs funding! Infos below

Overview

LoT is an open source online database of parametric 3D designs written in OpenSCAD script language. Its focus is interior design, exterior design, household items, garden tools and house parts. The database is public accessible and searchable via a website.

The parametric designs can be used for the production of real objects through CNC machines, laser cutters, 3D printers and similar machines.

OpenSCAD, a special scripting language for CAD enables the creation of 3d shapes and blueprints.

3D Print examples

CNC CutOut examples

Objectives

The LoT supports a sustainable "grassroots" economy based on openess and sharing in the spirit of the open source and open hardware movements. The goal is to provide designs and a platform for their free exchange, fostering decentralized, communal production. LoT is concived to support this forms of production in a scalable fashion - from individuals and small groups to larger cooperatives and networks.

LoT is conceived to be a part of the circular economy and to enable the reuse of recycled wood and bioplastics.

LoT stores its parametric designs in the OpenSCAD format. OpenSCAD is a scripting language that resembles natural language, which means the script can be easily interpreted and modified.

This fact makes it possible to save the script on paper and to manually produce blueprints from these design scripts and create the final object without a computer. As a result, the Library of Things can be stored in book format.

Unlike other databases, LoT has category "Cut-Outs" for subtractive manufacturing and "3D Prints" for additive manufactoring as two main categories.

The designs are interlinked, such e.g. a cabinet can have different cabinet door knob designs as options to choose from. These knob designs are independent designs, that have been used for the cabinet design.

The project as gitlab data structure allows the complete content of the LoT to be stored on an offline workshop computer controlling CNC machines and/or 3D printer.

GitLab is a web-based DevOps lifecycle tool that provides a Git repository manager providing wiki, issue-tracking and continuous integration and deployment pipeline features, using an open-source license, developed by GitLab Inc.

CNC Manufactory / 3D Print Shop

Towards Grassroots Economy

1. Community ↔ Webpage

Customers can search through designs. The designs are presented in a viewer port and can be changed through available parametric values like width, height, depth, thickness s.o., then downloaded them. These designs can be downloaded and taken/send to a maker station close by.
Since many designs consist of several individual parts (e.g. furniture with door knobs), the complete package of designs is downloadable as file package including all design files.
A special search option makes it possible to find specific designs or designers. One reason the LoT license is creative common license set to "by".
The site has a HowTo section, that offers tips and videos to make it easier for anyone to modify parametric designs and adapt them to their needs. A forum is part of the LoT web infrastructure as well, that handles Q&A.

2. Designer / Production ↔ Webpage

Designers, makers and/or producers can upload their designs and modifications of designs (new branch) through a form on its webbrowser page of there local LoT installation. They can merge there new entries and modifications with the main branch of the Library of Things online at any time.
Each account owner (free account to create collections and keep designer details for credits) opens an access to an educational section of HowTo. This includes instructions how to create OpenSCAD designs as well as implementation guides for various machines (e.g. CNC Router, 3D Printer, Plasma cutter, Laser cutter), as well as how to clone the entire LoT main branch to your local machine and how to handle update pulls of new designs.
Accounts owners get informed by email about new designs and other announcements from the crew, that maintains the main branch of LoT.

3. Webpage ↔ GitLab Server

Each new design, which is added by LoT webpage upload form will create a new folder with all meta data and design files and save it within the GitLab data structure.
In case of an update of a design, the data will be exchanged.
GitLab provides the information and data requested from the website, such as 3D previews, tutorials and data packages.

4. Database ↔ Webpage

The database serves as information storage. It will contain following data:

Account owner profile data
Most Information that has been given in form page of LoT browser interface
Access connections or folder information in the GitLab system (links to design/s)

Home Designer Setup >> CNC Router

Examples >>

To Do / Be Funded

1. Creating a web-browser-based complete solution on top of existing Gitlab project >> www.libraryofthings.cc

Many steps are in front of us that will make it possible to continue in a better framework for people to be able to participate as Designers, Makers, Professional and Hobbyists alike.

A proper web-browser solution is needed (estimated 60k for complete solution, inclusive search engine and gitlab server structure)

A 3D preview option for files with .stl extensions is standard in gitlab. However, we need to create a webgl-based openscad file reader like openjscad.xyz for our LoT designs visualization in a browser.

Furthermore, handling designs as modules, what information need to be hold in meta database, templates for design modules, handling of module files that are used in designs, linking/interconnection of external designs, used as downloaded modules, needed to put into structrue

Following features is part of the estimated complete

Account management
Form page and its communication to the database and GitLab
3D Preview
Search engine
Collection of articles + linked components with download
Forum
Newsletter

2. Creation of all necessary educational and information materials

Dokumentation of all aspects from idea-to-design(how to create things for LoT), things-to-scrap (searching and downloading in LoT), design-to-thing(how to use machines and create)
Creating related Advanced OpenSCAD Workshop

3. Implementation of existing open-source designs

Designs need same or more liberal licenses
Designs need to turn into modular parametric design
An A.I. can help transforming 3d cloud-data into a OpenSCAD script version

4. Self-hosting Library-of-Things web server via hosting service

For promotion and concept demo, our software solution needs to be hosted on a hosting server system to start with
In the test period, this makes it possible to work out the best way to handle branching, merging and anything else communicating between main branch and local computer via gitlab.

5. Contacting Designers, FabLabs, Carpenters, Universities, Schools and Public Libraries

Before and with a prototype of LoT on our server, we need help from all direction of life, especially from education and cooperative business structures, small businesses, Design artists and people,, who are interested in participating in testing and using the LoT

Advice, tips, funds and help for this project is wanted and much appreciated! Many thanks!