Abstract
The adoption of open innovation and peer production, powered by 3D printing technology, is transforming traditional manufacturing methods towards a “third industrial revolution”. The purpose of this research is to provide empirical evidence for an integrated approach, based on collaborative product development and peer production, combined with 3D printing, to deliver more sustainable, yet competitive, marketable products. In particular, this experimental study is conducted in the context of mobile forensics, an emerging market where limited expensive products exist and alternative solutions are needed. The technical viability and economic feasibility of the prototype developed in this research validate the proposed integrated approach, which could be a game-changer in the field of mobile forensics, as well as in other sectors. The sustainability improvements with this approach are a reduction of the total cost, thereby making it affordable for lower income users, and a decrease in energy consumption and pollutant emissions. The validated integrated approach offers start-up opportunities to develop and deliver more sustainable, marketable products, towards the paradigm of Open Sustainable Innovation. While the device developed and tested in this research has similar features to existing products, the methodology, implementation, and motivation are original.
Highlights
The recent trend of producing small quantities of custom designed and low cost finished goods comes from the model of mass customization, as postulated in the “think global and produce local” concept [1]
This paper provides empirical evidence for the technical viability, economic feasibility, and enhanced sustainability of a product developed with an integrated approach based on open innovation and peer production with the use of 3D printing
Empirical testing of this integrated approach was conducted in the mobile forensics sector
Summary
The recent trend of producing small quantities of custom designed and low cost finished goods comes from the model of mass customization, as postulated in the “think global and produce local” concept [1]. Peer production is intended as a collaborative activity aimed at sharing productive goals [28] This productive methodology is based on self-organized communities, which interact together thanks to information technology advancements and cooperation to realize a final product. The research question we addressed in this paper is: can peer production, coupled with 3D printing and collaborative hardware and software development, be adopted in an integrated approach to deliver cheaper and more sustainable marketable products? The objective of this research is to demonstrate that the use of the integrated approach makes it possible to realize a product that is cheaper, more widely available, more sustainable than traditional manufacturing processes, and economically profitable in the mobile forensics sector.
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