Fablab
FablabsA Transfomational Activity for
Advanced Manufacturing in the 21st Century
Dr Eddie Kirkby
The Manufacturing Institute
Fablab
The Manufacturing Institute
Independent charityAdvice & educational programmesPromoting the image of manufacturing
Work with schools – Make It
Promote the future of manufacturingAdvanced manufacturing methodsInnovation
= Fablabs
Fablab
What is a Fablab?
“A Fab Lab itself is a fully kitted Fabrication workshop containing all the necessary design engineering and manufacturing equipment capable of supporting single user production of ideas from inception through to prototyping”
Professor Neil Gershenfeld on Fablabs
Fablab
What’s in a Fablab?
CAD/CAM Design &
Programming Tools
Basic machines
Drills, Lathes, Saws
Molding & Casting
3D Printing & Scanning Machines
2D Cutting Machines
Laser Cutter, Vinyl Cutter
Circuits & Microcontrollers
2D/3D CNC Routing & Milling
Fablab
What Can be Made in a Fablab?Musical
instruments
Furniture & household
Art & jewellery
Toys &
games
Electronic Devices
Clothes & bags
Bikes
Confectionary
Social & Environmental
Inventions
Fablab
Global Fablab Network
Jalalabad - Afghanistan
Pabal - India Sekondi-Takoradi - Ghana
Lyngen - Norway
Fablab
Manchester!
Fablab
Open Manufacture?
DigitalGlobal design – local manufacture
Iceland
Ghana
Physical
Fablab
Global Solutions
Means of invention to allInnovation at the point of needBespoke manufacture Interconnected through internet and video conferencingGlobal knowledge & skill base
Fablab
BioGas Plant - India
Creating electricity from cow dung!
Fablab
FabFi - Afghanistan
Wireless broadband networks across the Jalalabad –Hospital, library, public buildings, etc
Fablab
Low Energy Lighting - Kenya
Multi-LED lighting – designed in Cleveland, Ohio
Fablab
Prosthetic Limbs – India
Waag Society – Fablab Amsterdam researching low-cost scanning and prosthetic limb manufacture
Fablab
UK’s 1st Fablab in Manchester
When?Jan/Feb 2010
Where?Sharp project – East Manchester
Fablab
How Will it Work?
Collaborative innovation projectsCommercialSocial
Open innovation competitions Skills training programmes – Fab Academy & smaller programmesSchools events – enterprise challenges Small company workshops – product designCommunity use – personal and group
Fablab
Contact Details
Eddie Kirkby – [email protected] Insley – [email protected]: http://manchester.ukfablabs.org/Twitter: http://twitter.com/fablabmcr
Fablab
Thank you for listening!
Questions?
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