Fab Labs: Difference between revisions
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''' | '''= fabrication laboratories are small scale workshops with modern computer controlled equipment that aim to develop [[Personal Fabricators]]''' | ||
Also the name of a particular set of initiatives. | |||
=Description= | =Description= | ||
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''' "What if you could design and produce your own products, in your own home, with a machine that can be used to make almost anything?''' Imagine if you didn't have to wait for a company to sell the product you wanted but could use your own personal fabricator to create it instead. | ''' "What if you could design and produce your own products, in your own home, with a machine that can be used to make almost anything?''' Imagine if you didn't have to wait for a company to sell the product you wanted but could use your own personal fabricator to create it instead. | ||
Neil Gershenfeld, Director of MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, believes that personal fabricators will allow us to do just that and revolutionize our world. | Neil Gershenfeld, Director of MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, believes that personal fabricators will allow us to do just that and revolutionize our world. | ||
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=Directory= | =Machines Used= | ||
* Laser cutters, plasma cutters and water jet cutters - to cut sheet materials such as plastic and metal | |||
* [[CNC machines]] - computer controlled mills, lathes etc | |||
* [[Rapid Prototyping]] machines - 3D layered construction | |||
* Printed circuit board milling machines | |||
=Example= | |||
Fab Lab at MIT, at http://cba.mit.edu/projects/fablab | |||
=More Information= | |||
#Read the [[Digital Fabrication Primer]] | |||
#Watch the [[Videos on Personal Fabrication]] | |||
==Directory== | |||
A few of the labs' websites: | A few of the labs' websites: | ||
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[[Category:Business]] | [[Category:Business]] | ||
[[Category:Design]] | |||
[[Category:Manufacturing]] | |||
Revision as of 06:31, 2 October 2008
= fabrication laboratories are small scale workshops with modern computer controlled equipment that aim to develop Personal Fabricators
Also the name of a particular set of initiatives.
Description
"What if you could design and produce your own products, in your own home, with a machine that can be used to make almost anything? Imagine if you didn't have to wait for a company to sell the product you wanted but could use your own personal fabricator to create it instead.
Neil Gershenfeld, Director of MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, believes that personal fabricators will allow us to do just that and revolutionize our world.
His most recent book, FAB: The Coming Revolution on Your Desktop—From Personal Computers to Personal Fabrication, explores the ability to design and produce your own products, in your own home, with a machine that combines consumer electronics with industrial tools. Such machines, Personal fabricators, offer the promise of making almost anything-including new personal fabricators and as a result revolutionize the world just as personal computers did a generation ago." (http://www.itconversations.com/shows/detail460.html)
Machines Used
- Laser cutters, plasma cutters and water jet cutters - to cut sheet materials such as plastic and metal
- CNC machines - computer controlled mills, lathes etc
- Rapid Prototyping machines - 3D layered construction
- Printed circuit board milling machines
Example
Fab Lab at MIT, at http://cba.mit.edu/projects/fablab
More Information
- Read the Digital Fabrication Primer
- Watch the Videos on Personal Fabrication
Directory
A few of the labs' websites:
- http://fab.cba.mit.edu/ - Fab Central
- http://www.fablab.no/ - Lyngen, Norway
- http://www.fablab.co.ke/ - Kenya
- http://fab.cba.mit.edu/labs/tec/ - Costa Rica
- http://www.fablab.nl/ - Netherlands
- http://fab.cba.mit.edu/labs/vigyan/ - India
- http://fab.cba.mit.edu/labs/setc/ - Boston
- http://www.iaac.net/web/en/FabLabInfo.php - Barcelona
- http://fab.cba.mit.edu/labs/tti/ - Ghana
- http://www.fablab.co.za/home.php?link=2 - Pretoria, South Africa
- http://fab.cba.mit.edu/labs/soshanguve/ - Soshanguve, South Africa
- http://turlif.org/jff/ - Japan
- http://mobilefablab.blogspot.com/ - Mobile Fab Lab (a Nascar trailer outfitted with all the basic devices of a Fab Lab)