Machine Access

MakeICT Section Organization

• Equipment at MakeICT will be housed by section (wood shop, metal shop, pottery) etc.
• Each section will be maintained by a Benevolent Dictator. The Benevolent Dictator takes ownership and responsibility for the culture, and usage of the section and its equipment.
• Benevolent Dictators are appointed by the MakeICT board. Criteria for appointment:
  • Subject matter expert in the field i.e. have a high level of knowledge in the section
  • Organizational skills
  • Demonstrated high level of responsibility for themselves and others
• Benevolent Dictators serve 1 year terms, but there is no limit to the number of times the board can re-appoint them.
• The Benevolent Dictator can appoint his/her own team to help maintain the culture of the section he or she maintains. Organization, function, documentation, formality, etc. is up to the team and Dictator.
• When initially setting up a section, the Dictator and his/her team are asked to prepare a rough estimate of equipment and needed budget for initial launch. The method and final submission they prepare for the MakeICT board is up to them. One possibility is to come up with 3 budgets for consideration: excellent, OK, and Slumming It. This could be developed with the help of an ongoing dialog with the MakeICT board to better understand budgets and financial constraints etc.
• Since it is expected that the Dictator and team have thoroughly researched their proposal, minimal discussion and a quick approval is anticipated upon submission to the MakeICT board.
• Budgets are subject to approval by the Board of Directors.

Suggested template

What follows below is a suggested framework to help BD's create an appropriate policy for their space.

Equipment Usage

• Equipment in each section will be categorized as either Category 1 or Category 2, as determined and documented by the Benevolent Dictator and his/her team.
• When joining MakeICT, all members will sign a waiver releasing MakeICT from responsibility if an accident were to happen or somebody is harmed due to equipment malfunction, negligence or misuse of equipment on the premises.
• It will be at the discretion of the Dictator and his team to decide what equipment is designated as Category 1 and what is designated as Category 2.

Category 1 Equipment

• Includes hand tools, as well as consumer-end power and CNC tools. Most of this equipment would be considered "common use" equipment that could potentially be found already in a typical handyperson's garage.
• Intended for general-purpose use; access to this equipment is open to all members.

Category 2 Equipment

• More specialized, expensive and fragile equipment. This equipment has a higher learning curve for use and can damage itself or an operator more easily.
• Intended for professional precision work. These tools are typically expensive, fragile, and require a high skill level to use safely.
• May be sectioned off in a restricted access area. This is as opposed to restricting access to the machine itself. (This is a model already demonstrated at the Tulsa Fab Lab)

Training

Organization and documentation for machines, their usage, and their access will be up to the Dictator and his/her team. However, a few guidelines are recommended:

• There will be periodic training sessions for both Category 1 and Category 2 equipment.
• Equipment which is dangerous or not self-explanatory will have a warning along with a text link and QR symbol to this wiki for directions for usage as well as warnings.

Users

It will be up to the Dictator and team of each section how to categorize and train users for both Category 1 and Category 2 equipment. We offer this as a template/starting point, but it will need to be customized for individual sections.

• Users of each section will be categorized into 1 of 3 categories:
  • N00b: User is allow access only to Category 1 equipment. They may also use Category 2 equipment when monitored by a Helmsman
  • Solo Flyer: User is allowed access to both Category 1 and Category 2 equipment. However, user cannot train or oversee N00bs in using Category 2 equipment
  • Helmsman: User is allowed unrestricted access to all equipment. Furthermore, user can train others to use equipment.
• A written outline and optional test designed and written by the Dictator and Team exists for each piece of equipment. A N00b can graduate to be a Solo Flyer only with the written consent of any Helmsman. It is the Helmsman's responsibility to ensure that the N00b has learned and tested successfully on all necessary information for the equipment.
• Helmsmen can train Solo Flyers in any way they wish and with whatever formality they wish. Some may teach through apprenticeships, others through classes, and still others with a combination.
• A gaggle (3?) of Helmsmen must agree that a solo flyer is ready to be a Helmsman. While no formal outline or tests exist for promotion from Solo Flyer to Helmsman the understanding from all involved is that the Solo Flyer has used the machine to develop enough experience to be considered an expert on the machine on all levels.
• The RFID tag used already by members to enter the space will also be used to allow members to enter sections containing Category 2 equipment as they become Solo Flyers.