Designer/Maker: The Rise of Additive Manufacturing, Domestic-Scale Production and the Possible Implications for the Automotive Industry

The rapid development of both digital production toolssuch as 3D printers, CNC machines and laser cuttersand Information and Communications Technology (ICT) have provided a means for small scale, distributed poly-nodal Digital Manufacturing to become a viable production method. These tools are enabling individuals to make sophisticated parts and products without formal training at sites of production situated in domestic communities globally. A key contributor to this shift is the Open Source Hardware (OSHW) Maker Movementa movement made up of a diverse range of individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds and levels of expertise all working towards a common goal of making the tools for making artefacts more accessible. As yet, Industrial Design contribution is limited, with the technology tending to appeal to those who aretech-savvy � . However, there are opportunities for designers to use these tools and associated methodologies to make objects that make a difference in ways that have never been possible before. It is likely that, when more commonplace, domestic production toolsadditive and subtractive - will change the face of industry as we know it. Is it possible that we will be printing our own cars at home in the future? This paper explores some of the developments in these tools, how they are currently being used in a transport design context and some of the implications for future manufacturing of automobiles.