Ford to Open DIY Center

American manufacturer Ford announced on Friday it has partnered with do-it-yourself (DIY) specialist TechShop to open a communal work center in the Detroit area. The center will be the perfect environment for people working on their own projects to express themselves, as well as a means for Ford to tap into previously uncharted idea pools.

Further details on Ford's idea will be discussed this weekend at the Detroit Maker Faire held at The Henry Ford in Dearborn. Other companies will be invited into the project as well, as the American manufacturer tries to make the most out of the Americans' appeal for DYI.

“The talent pool and level of skill and knowledge in and around Detroit is incredible,” Bill Coughlin, Ford Global Technologies, CEO said in a statement. “TechShop can provide a physical hub for this inventive community, allowing us to connect with them in a way never done before.”

Partnering with TechShop was probably the single way Ford could achieve the desired result. The organization currently has 800 and locations in California and North Carolina. The group supports and helps its members by providing them with access to space, tools, and machinery, so that each of them could act on their ideas.

Ford sees the partnership with TechShop as a natural evolution of its “Your Ideas” open-source innitiative. Unlike TechShop though, Ford will also help members license their ideas.

“With TechShop, we are bringing the concept of individual involvement to life in a physical space where people can develop their ideas, create prototypes and display them,” Coughlin added.