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Several months ago, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed new guidance that provides the initial regulatory framework and best practices for highly automated vehicles and self-driving vehicle systems. These guidelines are a significant step forward from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in leading the public, government and commercial aspects of automated transportation in the safest manner possible.

The DOT also understands that its guidance and policies will likely change quickly as methods and modes of transportation will evolve in the coming years. As such, the DOT asked the public and stakeholders to participate in the process by providing their feedback in the form of comments, insights and experience. A wide range of stakeholders participated, and Local Motors was proud to do so.

After reviewing the proposed Federal Automated Vehicles Policy, our CEO and Co-founder Jay Rogers, submitted a letter on behalf of Local Motors focused on three areas: low-speed vehicles, vehicle testing and vehicle classifications.

 

We’re eager to introduce highly automated vehicles onto America’s roadways. We look forward to working with all stakeholders involved to deliver safer, smarter and more sustainable mobility options for everyone.

Everyone at Local Motors cares about passenger safety, but Robert Bedsole takes that concern down to the molecular level — quite literally.

Robert has spent an inordinate amount of time studying the scientific properties of the various 3D-printed materials that go into our vehicles. As an advanced materials engineer, he regularly pushes the limits of manufacturing technology to identify optimal materials that can be printed for automotive applications.

He works each day to make our vehicles safer and more sustainable by using the best of what advanced manufacturing technology has to offer. There’s a lot more to the success of our vehicles than simply how they look — Robert contributes significantly to our wealth of research and development of them. We’re excited to see what’s next for the materials we use in automotive applications.

If you have questions for Robert, drop us a note in the comments, and we’ll answer them. For now, let’s get to know him a little better.

Where were you born and raised? Birmingham, Alabama

What’s your favorite food? Mexican

What’s your dream vacation? I enjoy hiking in Northern Arizona and Southern Utah.

What do you do for Local Motors?
As an advanced materials engineer, my colleagues and I focus on finding better materials to print on the Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) 3D-printer. We are also exploring better ways to print on a large-scale, which includes improving the BAAM system that we have as well as keeping abreast of the latest 3D-printing technology. We work closely with our designers and investigate new manufacturing methods to supplement large-scale printed materials.

What did you do before Local Motors?
I recently earned my Ph.D. from Auburn University. While there, I studied high-speed fracture of carbon fiber composites. I also studied the mechanical effects of carbon nanotubes dispersed in thermoset polymers.

What projects are you working on now?
I primarily drive the printing of new materials on the BAAM in our Knoxville Microfactory. Once new materials are determined to be printable and dimensionally stable, samples are machined into test specimens and mechanically characterized on our test stand. Our most exciting finding so far has been a nylon with approximately 400 percent better mechanical properties than traditional ABS plastic in both the printing and stacking directions.

What do you love about Local Motors?
I love our team’s freedom to explore many different materials solutions as we develop new vehicles using Direct Digital Manufacturing (DDM) technology. We have incredible resources to perform groundbreaking research and development that will have an enormous impact on the future of the automotive industry.

What advice do you have for future employees?
We’re a fast-paced company, so don’t be afraid to be decisive and make things happen to help the company. In many respects, we all share a sense of ownership in every innovation we produce, so I recommend that you be willing to take the initiative no matter if it was asked of you. We’re also a highly fluid company — as soon as we find a better way to enhance technology, we can turn on a dime and make it happen. Feel encouraged to seek new solutions and question our current direction.

As Local Motors expands its vehicle portfolio, its original microfactory has undergone an evolution that is changing the way we build. Our Phoenix-area microfactory has been transformed from building high-octane vehicles like the Rally Fighter to assembling high-voltage, self-driving shuttles like Olli.

Located in Chandler, Arizona, our microfactory has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent months to become an agile, cellular manufacturing facility. Until recently, the build floor was used to build the iconic Rally Fighter, Verrado, and Racer vehicles in a traditional, linear way.

Our build floor has all the tools and equipment to enable the Local Motors team to build vehicles in a methodical and safe way, but there’s much more to it. The build floor is optimized with precisely the exact-size wrenches, sockets, and equipment to make building vehicles as efficient as possible. A build floor positions resources in a way to make sure there aren’t “too many cooks in the kitchen” and that tools aren’t moved from their original spot.

Where’s that 18mm deep well socket? It’s right where it should be. Every time.

One of the limitations of the Chandler microfactory before this transformation was that it was optimized primarily for the Rally Fighter. We’ve recently entered into a license agreement with Anytime Auto Works, operated by Buddy Crisp, to build and service Rally Fighters on our behalf. As a result, we now have the opportunity to update the build floor in Chandler to support the manufacturing of multiple vehicles in alignment with local demand and unique requirements of each one. For instance, we’re now able to produce an Olli, Strati, and a cargo drone all within the same facility.

Olli was designed with capabilities unlike any other vehicle we’ve built. It’s loaded with the latest in 3D-printed components, an electric powertrain, a comfortable interior, and uses parts sourced domestically and abroad. After carefully analyzing the way we assembled the first couple of Ollies, we’ve established a pragmatic process to assemble the vehicles in a way to maximize everyone’s time and resources.

Phillip Rayer, our general manager in Phoenix, is more passionate about organized processes, safety, and scalability than anyone I know, and has worked tirelessly to lead efforts to transform our microfactory.

“The transformation of the Chandler microfactory is important to Local Motors because it now gives us a flexibility we’ve never had before,” Rayer said. “Our build team is excited to get to work and create some of the most innovative vehicles on the road.”

As a lean manufacturing methodology, the goal of cellular manufacturing is to move as quickly as possible, make a wide variety of similar products, and produce as little waste as possible. The benefits for Local Motors include reduced setup time, reduced flow distance and increased production lead time.

As an employee, it’s refreshing to see the new look of the 20,000-square-foot microfactory. With the racks of old inventory now gone and a trimmed set of tools and equipment, the space has opened up so everyone can observe the end-to-end build process of Olli and other vehicles.

There are now six universal stages within the cellular manufacturing model that can apply to current and future vehicles in our portfolio. Here are the stages:

Stage 1: Chassis

Stage 2: Electrical

Stage 3: Harness

Stage 4: Exterior

Stage 5: Interior

Stage 6: Final Assembly & Test

With an optimized build floor, we’re now able to build Ollies in a parallel fashion. Building multiple vehicles at once speeds up the production process and enables our versatile build floor team to focus on their specialties — resulting in deep mastery in one or more areas.

The build floor optimization hasn’t only happened in Chandler; our Knoxville Microfactory has been designed in a similar way.

The microfactory transformation is not only about the equipment or tools. It’s about how people can best apply their skills to create amazing vehicles. Our build floor transformation creates new opportunities for personal and professional development since every automotive engineer and build technician is critical to the success of the vehicle.

The transformation of our build floor is a reflection of our team’s willingness and ability to adapt quickly to changing market conditions. Could one of the big automotive manufacturers evolve this quickly if they developed a hit vehicle? I’m not so sure they could. And that’s why we welcome the future of transportation, no matter how many wheels or seats the next vehicle has.

Have you participated in a co-creation challenge this past year? If so, you might have worked with Local Motors Project Manager Florian Feise. Flo, as we all call him, has been critical in the success of our recent challenges hosted on our co-creation platform, most notably, the Airbus Cargo Drone Challenge.

He has a genuine passion for helping our co-creation community succeed by ensuring they are provided with current and accurate information on various projects. Flo is quick to listen to their concerns and deliver solutions to ensure that the everything goes smoothly for challenge participants, Local Motors, and any project sponsors that might be involved.

One of Flo’s first projects he helped with was the Urban Mobility Challenge. The winning vehicle design was Berlino, later named to Olli, which is a self-driving shuttle we debuted in June. Most recently, Flo led efforts in the Airbus Cargo Drone Challenge that attracted more than 420 qualified entries. At the Farnborough Air Show this summer, he helped announce the winners.

When he’s not interacting with our co-creation community, you can find him rolling up his sleeves to expand the Local Motors presence where he works in Berlin.

Here’s more about Flo that you probably didn’t know.

Where were you born and raised?
In the rural surroundings of Hanover, Germany.

What’s your favorite food? 
I enjoy all kinds of Mexican food. It’s almost the sole reason I visit Phoenix. Haha!

What’s your dream vacation?
I’m a big fan of road trips, especially mountain bike road trips. In the past I have spent quite a while on my bike traveling. I’d say that one of the most amazing destinations for a mountain biker would be Kamloops, BC, Canada. I loved it so much that I stayed for one year.

What do you do for Local Motors? 
I joined Local Motors as a Community Manager when the Local Motors entity in Germany had only one staff member, Damien Declercq. I spent most of my initial time supporting the Urban Mobility Challenge, which eventually became the Olli.

After that, I worked as a Brand Manager in the EMEA region. A few months ago, I managed the Airbus Cargo Drone Challenge. At the moment, I’m closely involved in the expansion of the Local Motors presence in Berlin, which has steered me toward more tactical work instead of conceptual work, which I also enjoy.

All in all, I’ve taken on numerous different roles and responsibilities on the team in Berlin, which has resulted in a steep and exciting learning curve. This dynamic is appealing so I can get involved with all kinds of fields and functions. Every once in awhile, I love to get out my toolbox and actually physically work on something that needs to get done.

What did you do before Local Motors?
I joined Local Motors after my graduation from International Business School of the Hanze University of Applied Sciences. Before that, I traveled through Canada working in the mountain bike industry as a mechanic, social media manager, and as a trail guide. Later, I was able to also build up my portfolio as a freelance mountain bike photographer.

What projects are you working on now? 
Now, I’m supporting the buildout of our new microfactory in Berlin. There’s plenty of exciting work to do — stay tuned!

What do you love about Local Motors? 
I love the breadth of responsibilities that every employee carries. As the Berlin team is still growing, people tend to carry multiple roles. One day, you might fly across for an important business meeting or be part of a panel and the next day you’re back on the build floor. Switching between these different tasks can be quite challenging but it’s sure a lot of fun.

What advice do you have for future employees? 
I have one piece of advice for future employees so you enjoy your time here: Build your ambiguity tolerance! The reality is that you will have to be able to deal with opposing or contradictory information and sometimes even unexpected tasks while we are growing so quickly. Depending on your background, that can be very tricky. I recommend a few books that have have helped me:
– Opposable Mind: Winning Through Integrative Thinking by Roger L. Martin
– Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink
– Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage of Human Consciousness by Frederic Laloux

This week is an important week for us as we celebrate the growth and strength of America’s greatest industry: manufacturing. Local Motors strategically sits in the middle of a shift in automotive manufacturing and advanced, additive manufacturing. We’re proud to offer a few ways for you to take a peek at how manufacturing is evolving to be more closely tied to the needs of the consumer.

We’re proud of the state of manufacturing in the United States. Despite what you might have heard, the industry is strong and growing. In 2015, data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis indicates that manufacturing contributed $2.17 trillion, or about 12.5 percent of our GDP. Since the 2008 Great Recession, the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that we are adding jobs in the manufacturing sector, currently employing 12.3 million people. All signs suggest that manufacturing in the United States is strong and is poised for even more growth.

We invite you to visit us at the events described below to gain an inside look at the future of manufacturing, product innovation, and the hardware necessary to build tomorrow’s products.

October 1-2, 2016 – New York, NY
While not under the banner of Manufacturing Day, we’ll bring our Forth trailer to the World Maker Faire in the Big Apple where thousands of attendees will discover the latest innovations from makers around us. We’re thrilled to welcome people of all backgrounds to learn more about Forth and how we can work together to make a better world through hardware.

October 5, 2016 – Erie, PA
Our interactive Forth trailer will be available for all to visit at the Erie Manufacturing Day. Forth is this platform behind our co-creation community, which has resulted in the development of eccentric vehicles like the Rally Fighter, Strati and Swim 3D-printed cars and the self-driving shuttle Olli. Inside the trailer, you’ll be able to learn more about 3D scanning and printing right there before your eyes. We want your ideas and you can learn about how product ideation and development is changing just as quickly as the manufacturing industry.

October 8, 2016 – National Harbor, MD
You might know that Local Motors National Harbor is abuzz with Labs events, but on Saturday, we will host a public event in partnership with FIRST that will quench your thirst to see tomorrow’s innovators demonstrate their ideas and discuss how our we are helping to create the best performing FIRST teams in the country. After a morning of FIRST, we’ll continue with our regularly scheduled Little Designer Club, a crowdfunded curriculum for computer aided design and 3D printing. You can register for this event on the Manufacturing Day website.

Elsewhere
You don’t have to attend these events to celebrate National Manufacturing Day. This week, you can be sure that Local Motors and fellow leaders in the manufacturing space will be sharing stats, stories, and perspectives across social media. Follow the #MFGDAY16 hashtag on your favorite social networks to see what we’re buzzing about. For more information about Manufacturing Day and to find more events in your area, visit mfgday.com.