SBIR Phase I: Scalable and spatially distributed supply chain management system

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是通过引入一种以地理分布的方式制造产品的新方法来加速产品开发和国内制造。美国作为尖端研究和创意设计的中心在全球享有盛誉。然而，投资已经转移到了海外，那里的许多产品都是以更低的劳动力成本和不那么严格的环境法规制造的，包括将原型、设计工作和初始生产转移到海外。将制造的可获得性和敏捷性从工厂转移到所有者运营的3D打印机上，可以加快周期，刺激美国公司的创新，在某些情况下还可以降低与产品开发相关的风险。此外，它有可能创造就业机会，因为更多的人可以参与制造过程，同时向美国家庭介绍3D打印技术和利用分布式分类帐技术的劳动力协作。这个SBIR第一阶段项目建议在分布式分类帐上构建供应链和知识产权管理系统。我们首先将重点放在具体的例子上，以展示在3D打印和分布式分类账的结合点上新的原型和协作模式的潜力。最初的原型专注于可以3D打印和模块化方式组装的热塑性塑料，从长度小于25厘米的小部件开始。在设计和3D打印这些产品的过程中，我们还创建了一个工业设计主题数据库，使更大的对象能够用可重复使用的部件构建。该系统将协调私人拥有的3D打印机网络；当客户下订单时，每个单独的部件都将从3D打印机的协作者发货给客户。由于工业设计主题是以开放的方式记录的，所以主题的成功与作品的创作者密切相关，通过将产品的成功与参与其设计和制造的个人紧密联系在一起，激励合作和迭代的产品开发。第一阶段项目的主要目标包括分析这一拟议的分布式制造模式的核心要素，包括订单履行、物流、成本分析、知识产权归属和质量控制。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to accelerate product development and domestic manufacturing by introducing a new method of fabricating products in a geographically distributed manner. The United States enjoys global prominence as a hub for cutting-edge research and creative design. However, investment has migrated overseas where many products have been manufactured with lower labor costs and less stringent environmental regulations, including shifting prototyping, design work and initial production overseas. Shifting accessibility and agility of manufacturing from factories to owner-operated 3D printers can accelerate cycle times, spur innovation among American companies, and in some cases reduce the risks associated with product development. Moreover, it has the potential to create jobs as more individuals can participate in the manufacturing process, while introducing American households to 3D printing technology and workforce collaboration utilizing distributed ledger technology.This SBIR Phase I project proposes to construct a supply chain and intellectual property management system on a distributed ledger. We will focus initially on concrete examples to show potential for new modes of prototyping and collaboration at the nexus of 3D printing and distributed ledgers. Initial archetypes focus on thermoplastics that can be 3D printed and assembled in a modular manner, beginning with small parts less than 25 cm in length. In the process of designing and 3D printing these products, we are also creating a database of industrial design motifs enabling larger objects to be constructed from reusable component parts. This system will coordinate a network of privately owned 3D printers; when a customer places an order, each individual part will be shipped to the customer from collaborators with 3D printers. As industrial design motifs is recorded in an open manner, the success of a motif is closely linked to the creator of the work, incentivizing collaborative and iterative product development by closely tying the success of a product to the individuals who contributed to its design and fabrication. Key goals of this Phase I project include analyzing core elements of this proposed distributed model of manufacturing, including order fulfillment, logistics, cost analysis,intellectual property attribution, and quality control.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.