Fab lab
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A Fab Lab (fabrication laboratory) is a small-scale workshop with an array of computer controlled tools that cover several different length scales and various materials, with the aim to make "almost anything". This includes technology-enabled products generally perceived as limited to mass production.
While Fab Labs have yet to compete with mass production and its associated economies of scale in fabricating widely distributed products, they have already shown the potential to empower individuals to create smart devices for themselves. These devices can be tailored to local or personal needs in ways that are not practical or economical using mass production.
Examples of flexible manufacturing equipment within a fab lab:
- Laser cutter, plasma cutter and water jet cutter - sheet material cutting
- CNC machines - computer controlled mills, lathes etc
- Rapid prototyper - essentially 3D printing with plastic
- Printed circuit board milling
The fab lab program was started in the Media Lab at MIT, a collaboration between the Grassroots Invention Group and the Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, broadly exploring how the content of information relates to its physical representation, and how a community can be powered by technology at the grassroots level. While the Grassroots Invention Group is no longer in the Media Lab, The Center for Bits and Atoms consortium is still actively involved in continuing research in areas related to description and fabrication but does not operate or maintain any of the labs worldwide (with the exception of the mobile fab lab).
The fab lab concept also grew out of a popular class at MIT (MAS.863) named "How To Make (Almost) Anything". The class is still offered in the fall semesters.
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[edit] Lab Locations
As of June 2008, there were 34 labs in 10 countries. A partial list is:
[edit] North America
- mobile fab lab : a fab lab in a trailer!
- USA, California, San Diego : run by the Heads on Fire organization
- USA, Illinois, Chicago : in the Museum of Science and Industry, Fab Lab MSI
- USA, Kansas, Wichita : sponsored by Spirit AeroSystems
- USA, Massachusetts, Boston : in the South End Technology Center
- USA, Minnesota, White Bear Lake : in Century College
- USA, New York, South Bronx : run by the Sustainable South Bronx
- USA, Ohio, Elyria : in the Lorain County Community College
- USA, Ohio, East Cleveland : in the MC2STEM School on the GE Nela Park campus
- USA, Oklahoma, Ponca City : run by Pioneer Technology Center (Manufacturing Education Training System Skills on Wheels Mobile Lab)
- USA, Oklahoma, Claremore : (run by Will Rogers Junior High School)
- USA, Oklahoma, Tulsa : run by CAP and sponsored by Spirit AeroSystems
- USA, Wisconsin, Appleton, in the Fox Valley Technical College
[edit] Central/South America
[edit] Africa
- Ghana, Sekondi-Takoradi : in the Takoradi Technical Institute
- South Africa, Pretoria : in the Innovation Hub, run by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
- South Africa, Soshanguve : in the BMW community center, run by the Bright Youth Council and sponsored by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
- Kenya : In Majiwa, Bondo District. Run by ARO Fablab sponsored by Norad Norway
[edit] Asia
- Afghanistan, Jalalabad : the flagship lab hosted adjacent to the Taj Mahal Guesthouse
- India, Pabal : in the Vigyan Ashram school (see external link: Vigyan Ashram: Rural Development Education)
[edit] Europe
- Iceland, Vestmannaeyjar : at the Icelandic Innovation Center see external link http://www.fablab.is .
- Norway, Lyngen : also the headquarters of the Fab Foundation. see external link http://www.fablab.no
- Netherlands, Amsterdam : in the Waag Society see http://fablab.waag.org
- Netherlands, Eindhoven, Tilburg : Free Form Fab see http://www.freeformfab.nl
- Netherlands, The Hague : in the CabFab see http://www.cabfablab.nl
- Netherlands, Utrecht : ProtoSpace see http://protospace.nl
- Spain, Barcelona : in the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Gershenfeld, Neil A.; Fab : the coming revolution on your desktop--from personal computers to personal fabrication, Basic Books, New York, 2005, ISBN 0-465-02745-8
[edit] External links
[edit] General / Networks
- Fab Lab Central at CBA
- FabFolk: Fab users group
- Amy's Fab Blog: unofficial news, updates, notes, observations, articles, and photos
- (early) Fabrication Lab's Webpage
