Difference between revisions of "Virtual designs into physical objects/Fab Labs"

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'''Fab Labs''' (fabrication laboratories) are small scale workshops with modern computer controlled equipment such as laser cutters, CNC machines, [[rapid prototyping machines]] and circuit board printing giving the ability within one room to create just about anything from engines to electronic devices. The concept has been developed at the Center for Bits and Atoms at MIT.
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[[Image:Fablab.jpg|180px|right]]
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'''Fab Labs''' ('''fab'''rication '''lab'''oratories, or '''fab'''ulous '''lab'''oratories) are small scale workshops with modern computer controlled equipment such as...
  
===Links===
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*{{wp|Laser_cutting|Laser cutters}}, {{wp|Plasma_cutter|plasma cutters}} and {{wp|Water_jet_cutter|water jet cutters}} - to cut sheet materials such as plastic and metal
*[http://fab.cba.mit.edu. MIT Fab lab website]
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*{{wp|CNC|CNC machines}} - computer controlled mills, lathes etc.<br>{{film icon}} [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnIvhlKT7SY Amazing video of a 5-axis CNC-mill in action]
*[http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/11/13/8393124/index.htm CNN article]
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*[[Rapid prototyping machines]] - 3D layered construction
<noinclude>{{refresh|Turning collaborative designs into physical objects}}</noinclude>
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*{{wp|Printed_circuit_board_milling|Printed circuit board milling machines}}
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...giving the ability within one room to create just about anything from engines to electronic devices. The concept was developed at the Center for Bits and Atoms at MIT.
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Around 34 fab labs have been set up around the world so far to give ordinary people in deprived areas access to this type of machinery to help people create machines and devices for themselves and their community.
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A mobile FabLab:<br>
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[[Image:Fablab trailer in wyoming.jpg|300px]]
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Commercial versions are now starting to spring too, see http://www.techshop.ws.
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==== Links ====
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* [http://fab.cba.mit.edu. MIT Fab lab website]
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* [http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,69495,00.html?tw=wn_7techhead Wired article]
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* [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/11/13/8393124/index.htm CNN article]
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* [http://www.perseusbooksgroup.com/basic/book_detail.jsp?isbn=0465027458 ''FAB The Coming Revolution on Your Desktop] {{en}} from Personal Computers to Personal Fabrication'' the book by {{wp|Neil_Gershenfeld|'''Neil Gershenfeld'''}}, head of the [http://cba.mit.edu Center for Bits and Atoms] at {{wp|Massachusetts_Institute_of_Technology|MIT}}
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----
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==== RepLab ====
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[[Image:RepLab.jpg|right|120px]]
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RepLabs: Open-source, replicable FabLabs. Very nascent but holds great promise as a concept. Conventional FabLabs use expensive commercial equipment - RepLab wants to reduce the cost by an order of magnitude and at the same time significantly increase functionality. RepLab is to be made entirely of machines whose designs are free and open-source, allowing anyone to build one, thus putting manufacturing of advanced electronics and machinery within anyone's reach. It would follow the [[RepRap]] principle of self-replication so that the equipment in a RepLab would be able to create another RepLab, just by downloading the designs from the Internet and inputting them to the machines. '''In principle: a multi-process, multi-material RepRap.'''
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* http://www.replab.org
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* [http://openfarmtech.org/wiki/RepLab Introductory article from OpenFarmTech]

Latest revision as of 20:01, 8 May 2011

Fablab.jpg

Fab Labs (fabrication laboratories, or fabulous laboratories) are small scale workshops with modern computer controlled equipment such as...

...giving the ability within one room to create just about anything from engines to electronic devices. The concept was developed at the Center for Bits and Atoms at MIT.

Around 34 fab labs have been set up around the world so far to give ordinary people in deprived areas access to this type of machinery to help people create machines and devices for themselves and their community.

A mobile FabLab:
Fablab trailer in wyoming.jpg

Commercial versions are now starting to spring too, see http://www.techshop.ws.

Links


RepLab

RepLab.jpg

RepLabs: Open-source, replicable FabLabs. Very nascent but holds great promise as a concept. Conventional FabLabs use expensive commercial equipment - RepLab wants to reduce the cost by an order of magnitude and at the same time significantly increase functionality. RepLab is to be made entirely of machines whose designs are free and open-source, allowing anyone to build one, thus putting manufacturing of advanced electronics and machinery within anyone's reach. It would follow the RepRap principle of self-replication so that the equipment in a RepLab would be able to create another RepLab, just by downloading the designs from the Internet and inputting them to the machines. In principle: a multi-process, multi-material RepRap.