The FabLab is the College of Design’s shared environment for learning through making. It brings together tools, equipment, materials, technical knowledge, and staff support to help you translate an idea into a physical object.
Our goal is not simply to give you access to machines. We want to help you understand which process to use, how to prepare for it, and how to work safely and responsibly in a shared fabrication environment.
New to the FabLab? Start with Your First FabLab Visit, then review Safety & Shared-Space Rules and Training & Equipment Access.
Most successful projects follow the same basic path:
Define what you are trying to make
Begin with the outcome, not the machine. Consider the object’s purpose, size, material, required accuracy, finish, and deadline.
Choose an appropriate fabrication process
Decide whether your project is best suited to woodworking, laser cutting, 3D printing, or a combination of processes. If you are unsure, bring your idea, drawing, or model to a FabLab staff member.
Confirm the requirements
Different tools have different safety, training, supervision, file, and material requirements. Access to the FabLab does not automatically authorize the use of every machine.
Prepare before arriving
Check your file, scale, units, dimensions, material, and available time. Leave room for testing, mistakes, machine availability, and revision—especially near major project deadlines.
Fabricate safely
Follow posted procedures, use the required protective equipment, and remain attentive while equipment is operating. If something seems unsafe, unfamiliar, or incorrect, stop and ask for help.
Complete the whole process
Clean your work area, return tools, collect or label your work, place reusable material in the appropriate reuse area, and report equipment problems or near misses to FabLab staff.
IDEA → PROCESS → TRAINING → PREPARATION → FABRICATION → CLEANUP → REFLECTION
Use the Shop to cut, shape, join, sand, and finish wood and approved sheet materials. It includes a range of hand tools, portable power tools, and stationary woodworking equipment.
Before beginning:
The Laser Lab contains six OneLaser Cobra laser cutters for cutting and engraving approved materials. Laser cutting is useful for models, patterns, templates, prototypes, graphics, and accurately cut components.
Before beginning:
3D printing builds an object layer by layer from a digital model. It is especially useful for complex geometry, iterative prototypes, study models, replacement components, and forms that would be difficult to fabricate by subtractive methods.
Before submitting a print:
See the 3D Printing Guide for preparation and submission guidance.
Bring us the problem rather than guessing at a machine.
Useful things to share with FabLab staff include:
Staff can help you compare processes, identify training needs, and recognize problems before they consume material or machine time.
The earlier you ask—particularly for a large, unusual, or course-wide project—the more useful that planning can be.
Faculty should contact the FabLab early when an assignment will require shared equipment. A short individual job can become several weeks of machine demand when multiplied across an entire course.
Early coordination helps the FabLab and faculty consider:
FabLab staff support fabrication planning and safe equipment use. Faculty retain responsibility for the assignment, curriculum, and evaluation of student work.
The FabLab works best when everyone contributes to its safety, clarity, and usefulness.
Schedule verification is pending. The times below reflect a current working operations direction and have not yet been confirmed as the public semester schedule. Check current College communications before relying on them.
Hours and access may change during holidays, academic breaks, special events, or temporary closures. Check current College communications before planning time-sensitive work.
A successful visit does more than produce an object. You should leave with:
The FabLab is a place to make, test, fail productively, revise, and learn.