Training and Equipment Access

FabLab training is designed to help you build the knowledge, judgment, and practical skill needed to work safely and independently.

Access is based on the equipment and process you want to use. It is not based only on whether you are a student, faculty member, staff member, or experienced maker.

Access to the room is not authorization to use every machine in the room.

Why Training Is Required

FabLab equipment can create hazards involving:

Moving blades and cutting tools
Heat and fire
Laser radiation
Dust and fumes
High voltage
Compressed air
Pinch and crush points
Sharp tools and materials
Noise
Unexpected machine movement

Training establishes a shared safety and operating baseline. It also ensures that users understand local equipment, emergency procedures, materials, software, and expectations.

Previous experience is valuable, but it does not replace local training.

The Path to Equipment Access

Depending on the equipment, your pathway may include:

General orientation
Learn the layout, emergency procedures, shared-space expectations, and how to ask for help.
Process introduction
Learn what the equipment does, what it is appropriate for, and its major limitations.
Safety instruction
Identify hazards, required protective equipment, prohibited actions, and emergency controls.
Material and file preparation
Learn which materials are permitted and how to prepare an appropriate file, setup, or operation.
Staff demonstration
Observe the correct startup, operation, shutdown, and cleanup sequence.
Supervised practice
Complete an operation while a qualified person observes.
Practical demonstration
Show that you can prepare, operate, monitor, and leave the equipment in a safe condition.
Authorization or continued supervision
FabLab staff determine whether you may work independently or need additional guided practice.

Not every tool requires every step. Higher-risk or more complex equipment requires more preparation and human involvement.

Types of Equipment Access

FabLab equipment generally falls into one of these access patterns.

Open After Orientation

These are lower-risk tools or resources that may be used after completing general orientation and reviewing the posted instructions.

Guided Introduction

These tools require a brief introduction or check-in with staff before use. After the introduction, users may be permitted to work independently within the demonstrated limits.

Tool-Specific Qualification

These machines require formal training and a practical demonstration before independent use.

Laser cutters and many woodworking machines fall into this category.

Advanced or Supervised Use

These processes require machine-specific onboarding and staff involvement. A qualified staff member may need to review the file, material, setup, or operation before and during use.

Restricted or Project-Based Use

Some specialized equipment is available only through an approved course, research, institutional, or advanced project pathway. It is not available for ordinary walk-in use.

The posted equipment status and current staff instruction always control.

Scheduling Is Not Authorization

A reservation gives you access to a scheduled period. It does not prove that you are trained or authorized.

Before using reserved equipment, you must still satisfy:

Training requirements
Current equipment status
Material restrictions
File or setup requirements
Supervision requirements
Personal protective equipment requirements
Staffed-hours or after-hours rules

For laser reservations, use UK’s EMS system.

Training Applies to Everyone

Equipment requirements apply consistently to:

Undergraduate students
Graduate students
Faculty
Staff
Student workers
Researchers
Visiting collaborators
Experienced makers

Faculty status, seniority, previous shop experience, or an approaching deadline does not waive equipment-specific requirements.

Experienced users may move through training quickly, but they must still demonstrate knowledge of the FabLab’s equipment and procedures.

Supervised Use

Supervised use means that an authorized person must be present and actively responsible for the supervision defined for that process.

It does not mean that:

Any nearby person can serve as the supervisor.
An untrained friend can watch the machine.
Staff can supervise several incompatible high-risk operations at once.
The supervisor becomes responsible for completing your project.
You may continue after the supervisor leaves.

If required supervision is no longer available, pause or stop the operation safely.

Equipment Status Matters

Even an authorized user may not use equipment that is:

Offline
Under maintenance
Awaiting inspection
Restricted
Being commissioned
Missing a required safety system
Producing unexpected results
Reserved for an approved activity

Do not remove an equipment-status label or attempt to return a machine to service yourself.

Ask FabLab staff if the machine’s status is unclear.

When Refresher Training May Be Needed

FabLab staff may ask you to review instructions or complete supervised practice when:

You have not used the equipment recently.
The equipment or software has changed.
Safety procedures have changed.
You are unsure about part of the process.
Your planned operation is outside your previous training.
A prior attempt revealed a significant knowledge gap.
Staff observe an unsafe or incorrect setup.
Your authorization needs to be renewed or reverified.

A refresher is a normal safety and learning tool. It is not a punishment.

Stop-Work Authority

FabLab staff and authorized student workers may pause or stop an operation because of:

Immediate safety risk
Missing training or authorization
An unknown or prohibited material
Missing protective equipment
Abnormal machine behavior
Inadequate ventilation or dust control
A damaged tool or safety system
An operation outside the user’s demonstrated training
A conflict with the machine’s current status

A stop-work action protects people, equipment, and the shared facility. It is not automatically a conduct finding.

Follow the instruction, leave the equipment in a safe condition, and work with staff to identify the next step.

Your Responsibilities After Training

Authorization carries continuing responsibilities.

You must:

Follow the procedure you were taught.
Use only approved materials and operations.
Inspect the work area before beginning.
Monitor the equipment as required.
Stop when something behaves unexpectedly.
Report damage, failures, and near misses.
Clean and reset the workspace.
Return tools and protective equipment.
Ask before attempting work outside your training.
Never bypass a safety control.
Never authorize another user unless the FabLab has explicitly given you that role.

Asking for Training

To begin:

Identify the process or equipment you want to use.
Review its wiki page and prerequisites.
Visit the FabLab during staffed hours.
Speak with a FabLab staff member or student worker.
Bring information about your project, material, and deadline.
Complete the required learning and practical steps.
Confirm your current access before making a reservation or beginning work.

If you are unsure which training you need, start with Your First FabLab Visit.