Build a Successful

Fab Lab in 5 Easy Steps

Create a fun space for your students to

gain real-world, hands-on engineering
design and manufacturing skills

www.solidprofessor.com
The Fab Lab: Home to
If you’re interested in building a Fab Lab of your own — or
you’re just curious how it works — we’ve created this guide for

Innovators and Makers you. Here, we’ll explain each of the 5 steps in detail:

1. Set your Fab Lab goals

2. Create a blueprint of the space
The world is full of “Makers,” those 3. Get buy-in from key stakeholders

curious people who’d rather create 4. Choose the right tools

something than buy it 5. Embed your Fab Lab into your curriculum
6. Tips, tricks, and advice
Imagine a space where students, faculty, and industry experts can
come together to experiment, test, iterate, and repeat. Imagine a
We’d also like to give a shout out to our experts for sharing their
place where students get hands-on experience with real machinery
experience creating a Fab Lab at Ivy Tech Community College in
used in industry today.
Indiana:
This is a Fab Lab!
Jason Roth, Assistant Dean for the School of Advanced Manu-
Fabrication Laboratories (Fab Labs) are designed to be collaborative, facturing, Engineering, and Applied Science and Program Chair
innovative spaces where Makers can roll up their sleeves and, you for Design Technology
guessed it, start making things! Typically, Fab Labs are full of 3D
Jamie Hamilton, Associate Professor for Design Technology
printers, computers equipped with CAD software, laser cutters, and
and Mechanical Engineering Technology
additional tools for digital fabrication.
Lauren Watkins, Product Marketing & Education at Formlabs

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 Not sure what goals to set for your Fab Lab? Check out the goals

Step 1: Set Your Fab Lab Goals Jason Roth and Jamie Hamilton had for their new Ivy Tech Fab Lab:

Facilitate collaboration between students: Roth and Hamil-

ton recognized the huge need for engineering and STEM
Why do you want to create a Fab Lab? students to have soft skills like communication, teamwork,
collaboration, and more, and designed their lab to foster the
There aren’t many rules surrounding Fab Labs — there’s no perfect
development of those skills.
number of machines you have to include or a specific number of
square feet (there is a list of critical machinery, but we’ll get into that Invest in tools that enhance curriculum and provide
in Step 2). According to the Fab Lab Foundation, there’s really only real-world skills: As the U.S. demand for qualified engineers
one major stricture around Fab Labs: and manufacturers increases, Roth and Hamilton wanted to
ensure their students have the real-world design, prototyping,
and manufacturing processes skills to quickly gain career
“The idea is that all labs can share knowledge, designs, success after college.
and collaborate across international borders… If I walk
Create a space that faculty and students want to spend time
into a Fab Lab in Russia, I should be able to do the same
in: This is both a practical and idealistic goal. On the pragmatic
things that I can do in Nairobi, Cape Town, Delhi,
side, if you want individuals to spend a lot of time in your space,
Amsterdam or Boston Fab Labs.” – Fab Lab Foundation
you need to provide restrooms, comfortable seating, and quality
tools. On the intellectual side, the more a student and faculty
member wants to be part of this space, the more creating and
The flexibility of Fabs Labs is part of their charm but it can also mean learning they’ll do there.
that you can dive into the process of building one without any
Be a Fab Lab leader and differentiate their school: Fab Labs
direction. So, consider what you’d like your students, faculty, and
are incredibly powerful marketing tools. If an engineering
others to get out of the lab and how that will inform its creation.
student is on the fence about joining your school, take them
Don’t forget to think over whether or not you’d like the larger com-
into your fancy Fab Lab and show them all the industry tools
munity to have access to your Fab Lab, too!
they’ll have (supervised) access to. Greatness inspires greatness!

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 2 Consider how you’ll power all your machines. Think about
Step 2: Create a Blueprint of where the compressed air will go, filtration needs, and storage
equipment.
the Space
3 Think about any noise concerns from the machines in your
Fab Lab. Do you need to implement a removable wall to muffle
Get started by finding the right space the sound from your laser cutters so they don’t distract the
people at work stations?
Ideally, you want your Fab Lab to be a spacious, open room that can
fit larger machines as well as work stations for students. Many Fab Consult other departments that might have similar lab
4
Labs are actually renovated computer labs while others are former set-ups. This could include your IT department, nursing, manu-
library rooms, large classrooms, and more. facturing, and construction. See what has worked, what hasn’t,
The Fab Lab Foundation recommends providing enough space for how they got funding, and what they might do differently. It
about 20-30 users at a time and then double that to accommodate the could save you a lot of time in the long run!
necessary machinery. For reference, the Chicago Fab Lab at the
Museum of Science and Industry is about 177 square meters. The 5 Meet with the maintenance staff to figure out how the room
Foundation explains that the “ideal” Fab Lab space is about 18 will be serviced and maintained and how that might impact the
meters x 20 meters. You don’t need to comply to these measurements, building of the space.
but they can give you a general idea of how much space you’ll need.
6 Consult your stakeholders to ensure you include any of
their requirements. Stakeholders might have different needs
Grab your graph paper and pencil and from the Fab Lab than you, so consult with them when you’re
start sketching sketching out the space. It can save you time in Step 3! And
don’t forget about your students. You want to make sure you’re
Once you’ve identified the space you’re planning on using, it’s time to
creating a space that they’ll enjoy being in.
start mapping it all out. For Roth and Hamilton, that meant creating
a 2D blueprint that showed exactly where everything would go.
Even though this looks like a straightforward process, it can take a
Here’s an easy process to follow when organizing your space:
lot of time! Make sure you build that into your Fab Lab schedule.
1 Measure all the physical space in your room. When you’re For reference, it took Roth and Hamilton about three years to
doing that, consider how much room should be devoted to get from ideation to having a fully functioning Fab Lab.
printers, scanners, laser cutters, computer stations, work
stations, and storage.

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Additional resources to help you plan your space
Make It Mobile
The Fab Lab Foundation offers a few different floor plans and Roth and Hamilton wanted to create a space that could —
schematics to help you plan out your space. However, if you’re literally — move and grow with the needs of the school.
working with a smaller space or a more limited budget, these Here’s how they did it:
plans might be a little robust.
Machines and equipment that require dedicated power
The Rocky Mountain College of Art – Design explains what went lines, compressed air, etc. are on the outside of the room.
into the creation of their Fab Lab. And it does look pretty fab! All the items in the central area of the room are on caster
wheels so they can be moved around.
The U.S. Department of Education also has some great resourc-
es for teachers looking to undertake the “CTE Makeover Chal- Hamilton and Roth built a raised floor above the original
lenge.” Whether you’re investing in a full-blown Fab Lab or concrete slab so they can run cords and outlets under-
looking to start a smaller Makerspace, they can help you out. neath to help with overall flexibility.

Or use the Fab Lab Locator to find different Fab Labs and see
which ones you want to model your lab after!
Talk to Industry Experts
Talk to local industries to see what skills they need incoming
employees to have. Then, consider how you can build your
Fab Lab in a way to foster those skills in your students.
Consider asking them

What CAD, CAM, or BIM software they use

What 3D printing techniques they require
What CNC or shop experience they need
What soft skills they look for

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 Connect with all stakeholders, not just the
Step 3: Get Buy-in from Key obvious ones
Stakeholders and Secure Funding When you think of key stakeholders, the first people who come to
mind are probably your chancellor, vice chancellor, dean, your
department chairs, and any senior faculty in your department. And,
of course, you need to meet with these individuals about your ideas.
Make sure you have detailed blueprints for
Explain your reasons for wanting to build a Fab Lab, present the
the space detailed plans, and ask for feedback.
You have this incredible idea to build a Fab Lab and you’re ready to
Roth and Hamilton also point out that it helped them to talk to other
shout it from the mountaintops. Hold up a second. Make your life
areas of the school. The art and design department, the architecture
easier and go back to Step 2: Create a Blueprint for Your Space. Roth
department, nursing, IT, and more will likely be very interested in
and Hamilton explain that the key to getting stakeholder buy-in is
your Fab Lab. Make sure you also get buy-in from the maintenance
being able to present firm plans that the stakeholders can comment
team and ensure your plans are feasible from their perspective.
on and critique.

If you don’t have those blueprints ready to go, the stakeholders

won’t have a great concept of what you’re trying to build, how you’re
going to do it, and what kind of work it will take. With that much
uncertainty, it’s difficult to sign off on a large project. It helps to know
facts like:

What you can do internally to supply power and water

What do you need to outsource and who might it be
outsourced to

It’s also helpful to have an idea for how you’re planning on funding
the space, whether it will come out of your department’s budget, it
will come through grants or donors, or a combination of different
funding sources. (See our chart for ideas!)

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Ways to Fund Your Fab Lab
With all the machines, software licenses, training programs, and materials required for a Fab Lab, expenses add up quickly.
If you need extra funding resources, this table can help.

Type of funding Advantages Disadvantages

Public grant money In most cases, this is “free money” that doesn’t Many grants are only available on a short-term basis,
have to be repaid so you’ll need to recoup that funding elsewhere when
Long-term grants can help increase the overall it runs out
viability of your Fab Lab It can be time consuming to apply for different grants
You can choose specific projects or materials to You’re dependent on the grants you can find
fund via grants
We have a list of grants to get you started

Membership fees Your Fab Lab will generate a reliable income source Lower income students and those with tight budgets
Incentivizes members to come to the Fab Lab, as might not be able to pay the fees
they’re paying to have access Your Fab Lab will need to devote resources to gaining
new members
Private funding and You’ll be working closely with an industry contact,
With a corporate sponsor, you might give up some
corporate partnerships which can open up doors with other industry
autonomy, for example, choosing the brand of machinery
contacts and provide important connections
you want or determining who else you might partner with
for students
There might be loans you have to pay back or revenue
You can get great publicity from taking on a
goals you have to hit
corporate sponsor

Fees for providing services If you start to charge for producing small items, This will require a large time investment on behalf of
you increase engagement with the local community staff, as they will need to monitor the projects closely to
You can also use this as an opportunity to enhance ensure they’re industry-ready
your students’ portfolios, as they’ll have experience Clients might want you to create products that are
creating usable products complicated or beyond the means of your students
You’ll need to consider any legal protections required

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Getting Buy-in: Why Are Fab Labs so Fab? During their time in the Fab Lab, students gain the soft
When you’re explaining the need for a Fab Lab at your school, skills employers require: communication, collaboration,
here are some great reasons that will help you convince motivation, interdisciplinary teamwork, and more.
stakeholders to make the investment:
Students get experience teaching others how to use the
Fab Labs appeal to all different types of learners, creating software and machinery, increasing their knowledge and
a more robust learning experience for all students. confidence while enhancing important soft skills.

Students get hands-on experience with the tools and

machines used in industry today, better preparing them
for the workforce.

Fab Labs capture students’ attention better than the

average lecture or reading assignment.

Students can design, build, test, and iterate on real

projects to enhance their portfolio.

Students have the opportunity to work with industry

experts and meet local leaders who could help connect
them with jobs or internships.

Fab Labs provide a safe space for students to try new things
and fail, so they won’t make those mistakes on the job.

Fab Labs mimic actual work environments much more than

classroom lectures and reading.

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 Harness the power of hardware
Step 4: Choose the Right Tools Let’s find some CNC machinery! While there are hundreds — if not
for Your Lab thousands — of CNC machines to choose from, Making Society
encourages Fab Lab creators to focus on these five categories.

A laser cutter: These are among the most straight-forward

Sort out your software and technology needs
machines in a Fab Lab. Students can laser cut engravings or a
Let’s start with the easier stuff: computers, technology, and software! piece of wood into any number of shapes. This high-precision
Here are some important considerations to make when picking out machine does require a good ventilation system. Roth and
the computers for your lab: Hamilton purchased the Universal VLS 6.60 Laser Cutter.

Do they provide the ability to upgrade RAM and video cards? A CNC router: This fun machine is used for cutting various hard
materials like wood, composites, aluminium, steel, plastics,
Do you need dual monitors so that students can view
glass, and foams. CNC routers usually produce high-quality work
SolidProfessor tutorials and software simultaneously?
and improve overall factory productivity. Automation and
Who will be managing technology requests: you or your IT precision are the name of the game!
department? What system will you use to submit technology
work requests? A 3D printer: Fun, useful, and very popular, 3D printers are a
staple in any Fab Lab. There are tons of options, such as home
Next up, let’s investigate your software needs. You’ll need some kind printers like Makerbots and Ultimakers. Or, you can invest in
of CAD software (common CAD software include SOLIDWORKS, industrial 3D printers manufactured by 3D Systems, Strata-
AutoCAD, Inventor, Fusion 360, and more). For reference, Roth and sys-Objet, or EnvisionTEC. Roth and Hamilton chose: six Form-
Hamilton chose Fusion 360 and Inventor. You also need to purchase labs printers, 3DS 660 Projet, Stratasys 30Prime Objet, Mark-
the proprietary software for your 3D printers. Roth and Hamilton forged Mark 2, Axiom Airwolf, Monoprice III, and an FDM Home-
elected for Formlabs, Stratasys, and 3D Systems (3DS). made Printer.

Remember: Once you purchase the software, you need to install it on A milling machine: While a 3D printer adds material, milling
all the computers. This might be an IT task, so make sure you explicitly machines subtract it. They’re typically used for making all kinds
list out who’s responsible for that process. This also includes any train- of prototypes and products from jewelry to molds.
ing software or tutorials that you need to install (like SolidProfessor). Did
you know that SolidProfessor offers a Task Pane Add-In feature, so A vinyl cutter: You can use your vinyl cutter to make signs
you can view our interface directly within SOLIDWORKS? If you have stickers, apparel decoration, or large graphics. This is a great
any questions about this feature, please reach out at machine, especially if your school has a Formula SAE (FSAE)
info@solidprofessor.com! team and they want to create custom vehicle decorations.

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Aside from the machinery, there are some other supplies that you’ll Additional resources to help you choose
need to purchase for your Fab Lab:
your tools
Safety and personal protective equipment (PPE): Make sure
The Fab Lab Foundation has a list of materials, including hardware,
you have all the essentials and then some. Roth and Hamilton
software, technology, and consumables, that all Fab Labs should
purchased face shields, safety glasses, gloves, face masks, fire
contain. This is a robust list of tools and machinery, and it might not
extinguishers, SDS books, and a fire cabinet, among others. MIT
be realistic for your lab right away. Use it as a reference list and/or a
offers general safety protocol as well as a list PPE.
wishlist. Additionally, you can see a list of materials broken up by
Furniture: If you want students and faculty to spend a lot of time topic area on the MIT website and the Fat Cat Fab Lab website.
in your Fab Lab, the furniture needs to meet their needs. Roth
and Hamilton purchased quite a few work benches, chairs, Many existing Fab Labs display their materials lists, so if the exam-
stools, portable whiteboards, tool cabinets and other tool ples above aren’t working for you, check out Fab Labs that are
storage, and portable wire racks. Make sure you have plenty of similar to the vision for your Fab Lab. You can use the handy Fab
options for storage and seating! Lab Locator to get started!

Power tools and hand tools: The Fat Cat Fab Lab lists out
important tools you might want to consider for your Fab Lab.
The list includes a table top drill press, cordless drill, chop saw, jig
saw, screw drivers, wrenches, ratchets, Alan key sets, scissors
and razors, glass cutters, and chisels.

Insider tip: This is a great time to check in with local industries

to see which CAD software and 3D printing skills they look for.
Make sure your students have the ability to learn that
software in your Fab Lab if possible!

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Picking the Perfect 3D Printer Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM): This plastic-based 3D printer
With all the different kinds of 3D printers on the market, it’s tough to uses classic filament and an extruder to create the object layer by
know which ones are right for your lab. Lauren Watkins from Formlabs layer. It operates on the X, Y, and Z axes, and the most commonly
breaks down the benefits and requirements of each type. used material is ABS and PLA plastic. This printer is typically used by
hobbyists and the results are low fidelity.

FDM SLA SLS Stereolithography (SLA): This resin-based 3D printer uses UV lasers
guided by mirrors to selectively cure liquid resin, turning it solid layer
Applications Low-cost proto- Functional Short-run produc-
by layer to create the object, which makes it a more precise process.
typing; proof of prototyping, high- tion, custom
The result is a high-resolution, very accurate print that’s best for
concept models resolution models manufacturing
high-fidelity prototyping to validate form and fit. The material is
Benefits Low-cost consum- High accuracy, Strong functional liquid photosensitive resin that simulates plastic.
er machines and great value, parts, design
materials smooth surface freedom, no Selective laser sintering (SLS): This 3D printer uses a laser to center
finish, range of supports plastic-based powder material into a solid structure. The powder is
functional necessary dispersed in a thin layer on the platform and the laser scans a
applications cross-section of the 3D model, heating up the powder to a melting
point to fuse those molecules together. The result is a very strong
Support removal Washing station Post-processing
Ancillary object that’s great for testing functionality or even for creating
system, finishing (IPA), post-curing station for part
Equipment
tools (sandpaper, station (optional), cleaning and end-use parts.
epoxy) finishing tools material recovery

Facility Air conditioned Desktop machines Workshop

Requirements environment or suitable for the environment with
preferably custom lab environment moderate space
ventilation requirements for
benchtop systems

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Step 5: Embed Your Fab Lab To make these ideas work, Roth and Hamilton leverage a
flipped/blended classroom, where students watch SolidProfessor

into Your Curriculum tutorial videos and complete online reading in their own time. Then,
they come to class with their questions. Roth and Hamilton point out
that the goal is to make sure their students spend as much time as
possible in the CAD software, designing cool objects and honing their
Don’t Forget: Soft Skills Matter! techniques. They explain that the ability to assign SolidProfessor
One of the biggest benefits of Fab Labs is that they help videos really opened up class time for their students to dive into
students build soft skills as well as technical skills. The the software, while Roth and Hamilton help them address any
Workplace Learning Report surveyed thousands of experts problems or questions.
to determine the most important soft skills for engineering
Before changing to the flipped/blended classroom with SolidProfessor,
students:
Roth and Hamilton spent their time giving step-by-step instructions
during class. This ate up a ton of time, didn’t help students really dig
1 Communication
into the material, and they had to stop the entire class whenever
2 Creativity someone had a question. Under the new model, they get more done
3 Adaptability and students have more hands-on experience with the software.

4 Collaboration

5 Leadership

Curriculum application: CAD + 3D printing =

career readiness
There are thousands — if not tens of thousands — of ways to leverage
your Fab Lab in your curriculum, and we’re by no means going to
discuss all of them. However, we’ll go through some easy ways to get
your students involved, whether they’re CAD neophytes or connois-
seurs. These ideas and examples are based largely on Ivy Tech and
how they’ve built a truly exemplary curriculum in conjunction with
their Fab Lab.

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Here are some ways to get your students hooked on CAD and 3D Encourage advanced students to be volunteers or mentors in
printing while imparting important knowledge in the process: the Fab Lab to help beginners learn the ropes. There are so
many opportunities for the student to become the teacher,
Start by having students create simple objects and 3D print which not only boosts students’ knowledge of design and addi-
them. This is a great way to help students visualize how to go tive manufacturing, but also enhances important soft skills like
from 2D projects to 3D projects. Not sure how that 3D shape on leadership, communication, collaboration, and more.
your computer will look in real life? Let’s 3D print it to find out!
This gives students valuable design knowledge that they might Challenge your students to get industry certifications, like their
not otherwise be able to visualize. Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate (CSWA). Roth and Hamilton say
that their goal for students is about more than just getting a
Require students to build objects and models that are function- degree — it’s about giving them the technical skills, credentials,
al. In the real world, everything we design must be functional, so and certificates to differentiate them in the hiring process.
why not in the classroom?
Reach out to local businesses and industries and see if they have
Challenge your class to design models that not only function projects your students can tackle. Roth and Hamilton say that
correctly, but look very different from anything else on the companies in their area sometimes even send engineers to their
market. For example, have them create something that func- Fab Lab to help students create products and parts for them.
tions like a brick but looks completely different than the general This is an incredible way to give students hands-on, real-world
brick design. experience while learning from industry experts.
Allow students to create, test, and repeat. Let them fail! Roth and
Hamilton explain that a key function of their Fab Lab is to give As we mentioned earlier, there are so many ways to leverage your
students a space to fail safely. This emboldens them to try new Fab Lab in your curriculum that we couldn’t possibly list them all
things and methodologies and see what happens. Not only do here. If you’d like to learn about more ways to utilize a Fab Lab at
they learn valuable lessons along the way, but they also under- your school, give us a call at (619) 269-8684 or email us at
stand how to accept failure without freaking out. It’s better to fail info@solidprofessor.com. We love talking about all things
in a Fab Lab than at a large scale when they get to the industry. engineering and manufacturing!

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General Tips, Tricks, and maybe it means down the road, or perhaps it means that you
need to do it differently. Be prepared and nimble when those
Advice about Building a curveballs are thrown your way.

Fab Lab Understand the limitations of your space. With a Fab Lab,
you’ll need power, water, air filtration, flooring finishes, painting,
lighting, HVAC, sound control, workbenches, computer desks,
and so much more. Have an incredibly detailed understanding
Have Questions? Ask Us! of how all of those factors and more will be accounted for in
SolidProfessor is here to help you with all your Fab Lab needs: your space.

Include plenty of storage. Roth and Hamilton explain that their

Looking for training to help students better understand their
room is already shrinking as they acquire more materials and
CAD, CAM, and BIM software? We have courses for that!
supplies. Prepare for that inevitability upfront by investing in
Need to boost your students’ knowledge of engineering smart shelving, cabinets, and other storage options.
methodologies? Check out our online videos on GD&T,
Design for Manufacturing, and Engineering Graphics and
Spatial Visualization. What do Ivy Tech students think of their fancy
If you’d like to talk to an academic specialist, give us a call new Fab Lab?
at (619) 269-8684 or email edu-sales@solidprofessor.com.
Roth and Hamilton report that the impact of the Fab Lab on their
students and faculty has been huge! Students say that they can
actually talk to each other and get their questions answered quickly
Some parting advice for building the most and easily. They have their own space to work at, rather than being
fabulous laboratory confined to a desk.

As Roth and Hamilton launched into building their Fab Lab, they hit And, most importantly, when class is over, students want to hang out
some roadblocks and detours along the way. They’ve offered some in the Fab Lab, creating new things, experimenting, and being part of
advice to help you better navigate those roads when you look to the bustling atmosphere. Roth and Hamilton explain that this is a
create your own Fabrication Lab: huge culture shift, and it’s incredibly exciting to see students want to
come in to the Fab Lab and work.
Be ready to adjust! Have contingency plans for everything and
always prepare for a “no.” Sometimes that “no” means never, So, what are you waiting for? Get on the path to Fab Lab greatness!

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