Jo Hinchliffe

Engineer, Tech Writer & Open Source Hardware Builder

Jo is a Freelance Maker and technical writer with a focus on Opensource technologies. He has written huge amounts of tutorial content across a range of platforms and his books “FreeCAD for Makers” and “Design an RP2040 board with KiCad” upskill readers in two of the most powerful opensource tools for developing opensource hardware. His clients include Raspberry Pi, Tindie, The FreeCAD Project Association, RS Electronics, Toms Hardware and more. Jo has visited SFK back in 2019 speaking about his work with the Libre Space Foundation and their development of satellites and networked ground stations. He is passionate about lots of areas, promoting opensource communities across a variety of sectors. He has numerous opensource hardware designs out in the wild. These include StoRPer, an opensource robotics platform, and HEXA, a hexagonal small rocket which is the first rocket to achieve Open Source Hardware Association (OSHWA) certification.

13:30 - 16:30 - ROOM 1

26 OCT - SUN WORKSHOPS

KiCAD for Beginners

In this workshop we will go through the basics of designing a simple printed circuit board and getting it to the point where it could be submitted to a fabrication company. We’ll also briefly look at the topic of PCBA where you can add details for your components and component placement to enable fabrication and assembly of complete circuit products.

10:30 - 11:30

26 OCT - SUN TALKS

KEYNOTE: Outside the Locked Box, Why Opensource IS innovation.

Using FreeCAD as an example community, Jo will explore why opensource methodologies and approaches are often the only innovative option. During this talk Jo will look at some interesting CAD use cases, from rocketry design, to bioreactors, and other areas showing how closed methods would decrease development rates and engagement.

11:00 - 13:00 - ROOM 1

25 OCT - SAT WORKSHOPS

FreeCAD for absolute Beginners

In this workshop you can take your first steps in computer aided design for hardware projects. Bring a laptop with FreeCAD installed and we’ll look at basic approaches to get you making mechanical parts in no time.