At the core of any successful business, is an entrepreneur who seeks to fill a unique need in a new way. But for aspiring entrepreneurs, generating a solid, innovative business idea can be a challenge. Before jumping in headfirst and starting a business, try brainstorming ways you can satisfy needs and solve problems in your community. If you already have a product or service but need to revamp, try using the SCAMPER technique. SCAMPER is an acronym for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify/Magnify, Purpose, Eliminate/Minimize and Rearrange/Reverse.
What can be replaced? (e.g., components, materials, people)
What can be combined? (e.g., other features, devices)
What can be added? (e.g., new elements or functions)
What can be modified? (e.g., change the size, shape, colour, or other attributes)
Could you put the product to a different use, or use it in another industry?
What can be removed or simplified?
What would happen if you reversed the product’s production process? What can be swapped or flipped?
To research or share ideas, visit Makerspace – one of the first of its kind in South Africa. It’s a creative laboratory open to all registered university students and staff. Access to the space is free of charge where we offer a variety of services to help you advance your skills and guide you to create prototypes, test ideas or make something new.
Makerspace is one of the areas where the development of physical or digital solutions is possible. Over and above the 3D printing facilities and expert technicians, there are also physical workstations with soldering areas and electronic kits available for testing out concepts or developing MVPs. Computers with varying operating systems containing development software are available and where your concept requires more rigorous testing, Makerspace will guide you to other collaborative partnerships within the university ecosystem to utilize.
At Makerspace you will find a wealth of innovation, such as:
3D printing is a technology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution that facilitates rapid prototyping in various applications. This is done by creating an object in the physical world using a digital model. We offer our clients various forms and materials for additive manufacturing or FDM.
3D Modelling is the digital creation of a three-dimensional object using Computer-Aided Design (CAD). There are many CAD programs available, depending on the model’s complexity. A 3D model is needed if you would like to 3D print an object.
3D Scanning is a technique used to scan a physical 3D object and create a digital file. Based on the scanning method used, several details and numbers of cloud points are measured with varying accuracy, affecting the 3D model created from the scanning process.
The Internet of Things, or IoT, is a multibillion device and application field. At Makerspace, we guide users in adopting facets of IoT through various kits such as Arduino, Biomaker, M5, microbit and Raspberry Pi.
Fundamental to our services is the expertise we offer to help you innovate across disciplines. Should you require guidance or training on using 3D printing, 3D modelling, 3D scanning, IoT, robotics, software development or design methodologies, then let us get in contact.
Some prototyping requires other tools. For this reason, we offer soldering irons, drills, glue guns and various other hardware to make something new or fix something broken.
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