Fab Labs Around the World - Heloisa Neves

FAB LAB
around the world
a vision of different fab lab models
by Fab Lab Brasil Association

This presentation is a project by Fab Lab Brasil Association focused on the concept of open information and has the objective to understand and share content
about the Fab Lab global network. The pictures and some informations were obtained through visits and interviews made by Fab Lab Brasil members and
through the archives of the project “Tour d´Horizon des Fab Labs” coordinated by Fing – Fondation Internet Nouvelle Génération. Some pictures were taken
directly from specific fab lab webpages.

More information:
www.fablabbrasil.org
www.fing.org

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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Fab Labs presented at this document:

England
Manchester (2012, may)

Netherlands
Amsterdam (2012, october)
Utrecht (2012, october)

France
Toulouse (2012, octuber)
Paris (2012, november)

Spain
Barcelona (2012, febrery)
Sevilla (2012, september)

ENGLAND
Fab Lab Manchester

First Fab Lab in England

History: At the center of an ancient and vibrant industrial region, Attendance: 3/4 projects per open day
Manchester is the ideal city to host the manufacturing revolution, and it
is quite natural that the Manufacturing Institute in Manchester has set Business model and financing:The Fab Lab has received funding
up a Fab Lab. from the Manufacturing Institute, which is an independent organization
founded 15 years ago in order to carry out projects promoting
Facilities: 1 Shop Bot, 1 vinyl cutter, 1 laser cutter, 1 Rolland Modela, innovation. This allowed them to finance the local machines (it cost
1 3D printer, 1 embroidery machine, 1 vacuum forming. Laser cutter between 90 and 140 k €). It is through the paid days that it`s possible
and Shop Bot are the most used (6 hours per week for each) to fund open days: Fridays and Saturdays. However, they are not
independent. They are still under the support of the Manufacturing
Location: In the center of Manchester. Institute.

Staff: One full-time manager, two technicians and a full-time secretary Public: Mainly students and inventors

Open to the public: Open two days per week (Friday and Saturday) Overall impression / mood: This lab is certainly a center of creativity
during which anyone can use the machines for free. In return, they and innovation. There seems to be a lot of discussion in the Fab Lab
must document their projects. The other days of the week are booked where users learn a lot from others (through a system similar to
for workshops (eg monthly event "Do It With Others") and external paid Utrecht)
projects (58 € per hour).

With students of Fab Academy: Yes, since 2011 Font:
http://fing.org/?Fab-Labs-overview&lang=fr
(translation from french to english by Fab Lab Brasil Association)

ENGLAND
Fab Lab Manchester
This is the building where Fab Lab Manchester is located. It is on
the ground floor at the left side of the buillding.

ENGLAND
Fab Lab Manchester
Overview of the lab showing the meeting table and the room with
small machines (at the back).

ENGLAND
Fab Lab Manchester
Detail of the room that contains the 3d printer, laser cutter,
embroidery machine and electronic components

ENGLAND
Fab Lab Manchester
Meeting/work table and lounge with kitchen

ENGLAND
Fab Lab Manchester
The Shop Bot

ENGLAND
Fab Lab Manchester
Detail displaying some machines

ENGLAND
Fab Lab Manchester

Camera Station - to document the projects made at
Fab Lab and to share with others.

NETHERLANDS
Fab Lab Amsterdam

A Fab Lab in the heart of the Dutch capital

History: Founded in 2008 under the leadership of Waag Society Attendance: 5 projects per open day

Facilities:1 Shop Bot, 1 vinyl cutter, 1 laser cutter, 1 high precision Economic Model and financing: The Fab Lab receives funding
milling, 3D Printers. dedicated to community open days through the Waag Society. This is
half of their budget. The other half comes from workshops, Fab Lab
Area: 150m2 / 250m2 clients during the closed days, and from the loan of their equipment.
Expenditures are mainly in the remuneration of staff. The premises are
Location: Located at the first floor of a small castle in the center of loaned by the municipality of Amsterdam.
Amsterdam, close to the Red Light District and to the Central Station
Public: Mainly designers and design students.
Staff: 1 full-time manager, between 3 to 6 students (for a period of 2 to
6 months, usually from the design area), one part-time secretary that Overall Impression / atmosphere: This lab is certainly a center of
works in both spaces: Waag Society and Fab Lab Amsterdam creativity in design with some great innovative projects and special
attention to the quality of the design and technics.
Open to the public: Open two days per week (Tuesday and Thursday)
during which the use of the machines is free. In return, they must Font:
document their projects. The other days of the week are booked for http://fing.org/?Fab-Labs-overview&lang=fr
workshops, projects and external paying projects undertaken by the (translation from french to english by Fab Lab Brasil Association)
staff

Students from Fab Academy: Yes

NETHERLANDS
Fab Lab Amsterdam
This is the building where Fab Lab Amsterdam takes place, but
centuries ago (left). Impressive as the past and future are so near
here. See the same space today, with the pictures down.
I´m sure that someone is taking a lot of care!

Can you imagine
this building and I can´t but I hope
this street here 500 someone takes care
years? of it. It´s a beautiful
place.

Picture by Dialogue Cafe 2010

NETHERLANDS
Fab Lab Amsterdam

Fab Moments - online plataform and device to
document the projects made at Fab Lab and share with
others.

NETHERLANDS
Fab Lab Amsterdam
Football game completely constructed at Fab Lab Amsterdam
and a screen for the best moments.

NETHERLANDS
Fab Lab Amsterdam
Video Conference - a screen open to other
laboratories of the network for clases and projects
together.

Fab Charter - principles that every fab lab should
follow. Here, a version on the door.

NETHERLANDS
Fab Lab Amsterdam

Harmony between past and
future!

NETHERLANDS
Fab Lab Amsterdam

Ideal velocity and power for work at laser
cutter.

NETHERLANDS
Fab Lab Amsterdam

Milling space with the Shop Bot.

NETHERLANDS
Fab Lab Amsterdam
Business activities.
picture by Fab Lab Amsterdam webpage

NETHERLANDS
Fab Lab Amsterdam
Workshop days.

NETHERLANDS
Fab Lab Amsterdam
a fab project - a whole guitar constructed at Fab Lab Amsterdam
(project by Alex Schaub)

NETHERLANDS
Fab Lab Amsterdam
Open Table (project by Jens Dyvik).

NETHERLANDS
Fab Lab Amsterdam
Fab Lab Amsterdam - Fashion Projects.
left picture by Fab Lab Amsterdam webpage

NETHERLANDS
Fab Lab Amsterdam
Fab Lab Amsterdam - Product Projects
right picture by Fab Lab Amsterdam webpage

NETHERLANDS
Fab Lab Amsterdam
Low Cost Prothesis Project (Project by Fab Lab Amsterdam,
Waag Society, HONF and Sprint)

NETHERLANDS
Protospace - Fab Lab Utrecht

Fab Lab multicolored

History:The Fab Lab was established in 2008 under the leadership of Attendance: ten projects per day
an university consortium, the city of Utrecht, the European Union, the
foundation for the promotion of innovation and Rabobank. Economic Model and financing: The city of Utrecht, the Chamber of
Commerce, the region, the European Union and Rabobank are the
Facilities:1 3D printer (ZPrinter 450), 2 laser cutter, 1 shop bot, 1 vinyl main funders of this project. According to the manager, the cost of
cutter, 1 milling running a Fab Lab is 1000 € per day.

Area: 100 m² Audience: designers, inventors, engineers, mechanics, artists.

Location:The Lab is located in an industrial area of Utrecht. The Overall Impression / atmosphere:The Fab Lab users come from very
building hosting the Lab is also occupied by a workshop of architects different fields. Pushing users to help each other has created a dynamic
and designers (working a lot with protospace). that everyone appreciates. Note that this Fab Lab is offset from the
center, and therefore the communication around this place was
Staff:The staff is composed of two managers: one from the design area particularly effective (particularly through television media).
(2 half-days per week), the other from the engineering area (4 days per
week), 1 engineer, 2–4 trainees (design or mechanical students) and a
part-time secretary. Font:
http://fing.org/?Fab-Labs-overview&lang=fr
Open to the public: Mondays and Tuesdays are open days, the other (translation from french to english by Fab Lab Brasil Association)
days need to be booked but it should be noted that the operation is
extremely flexible.

Students from Fab Academy: no

NETHERLANDS
Reception.

NETHERLANDS
Weekly calendar.

NETHERLANDS
Fab Moments - online plataform and device to document
the projects made in Fab Lab and share with others.

NETHERLANDS
Exhibition of the projects made at Protospace - Fab Lab Utrecht.

NETHERLANDS

NETHERLANDS
Prices of materials and specific form to calculate how much you
should pay for material and machine use.

NETHERLANDS
FAB Flash - helping to document the projects.

NETHERLANDS
Bender made at Protospace - Fab Lab Utrecht.

NETHERLANDS
Laser cutter velocity and power table and the laser machine
working.

NETHERLANDS
Instructions of work for each machine.

NETHERLANDS
Ludic game with machines information.

NETHERLANDS
Electronic stuff and space.

NETHERLANDS
Ultimaker Space - a important project from Protospace - Fab Lab
Utrecht (community of makers that created a 3d printer and are
selling the product and creating an envolved community).

NETHERLANDS
Ulti Router (left) - another project by the makers group. And a big
Ultimaker in action (right).

NETHERLANDS
Milling space.

NETHERLANDS
Some details of laboratory organization

NETHERLANDS
Detail of the coffe corner (left) and some products created at
Protospace - Fab Lab Utrecht.

NETHERLANDS
Coffee corner with a self buy system.

FRANCE
Fac Lab Paris

Community Fab Lab

History:Founded in 2012 Economic Model and financing: The machine were financed by
Orange.
Facilities:
1 laser cutter, 1 milling, 1 3d printer, some machines under construction Public:Community in general
for the fab lab community
Overall Impression / atmosphere:The most bottom up fab lab, really
Location: Université de Cergy Pontoise constructed by the community.

Staff:1 manager, 3 directors

Open to the public:
completely open every day

Students from Fab Academy: No

FRANCE
Fac Lab Paris
Map of the lab and Fab Charter at the entrance of the lab

FRANCE
Fac Lab Paris
Room with small machines, videoconference system, some
projects, reception and lounge.

FRANCE
Fac Lab Paris
The video conference system

FRANCE
Fac Lab Paris
A curious project with enfasis in three concepts: share, document
and participate

FRANCE
Fac Lab Paris
The room that shelters the laser cutter and materials

FRANCE
Fac Lab Paris
Some analogic machines and storage room

FRANCE
Fac Lab Paris
Electronic components, machines construction

FRANCE
Fac Lab Paris
Detail of the room

FRANCE
Fac Lab Paris
Constructing a vacuum forming and a message left from Fab Lab
Ultrecht Team

SPAIN
Fab Lab Barcelona

First spanish fab lab and one of the first of the network
Economic Model and financing: The Fab Lab Barcelona is financied
Facilities:1 Shop Bot, 1 milling, 1 vinyl cutter, 1 precision milling, 1 by IAAC and government of Barcelona
laser cutter, 4 3d printers, 1 kuka robot
Public: designers and architetcs, mostly.
Location:Inside the IAAC (Institute of Advanced Architecture of
Catalunya)

Staff:1 manager full-time, 2 technicians and between 1 to 3 students

Open to the public:Open to the public with different prices for students
and professionals.


SPAIN
Fab Lab Barcelona
Entrance to the laboratory, which is inside the IAAC

SPAIN
Fab Lab Barcelona
Common space for work (IAAc students + fab lab)

SPAIN
Fab Lab Barcelona
First space of Fab Lab Barcelona: small machines (precision
miling, 3d printers, laser cutter and electronic space

SPAIN
Fab Lab Barcelona
World map with all the fab labs and pictures of the staff

SPAIN
Fab Lab Barcelona
Panoramic view

SPAIN
Fab Lab Barcelona
Team working in a regular day

SPAIN
Fab Lab Barcelona
At the second table, Fab Academy students working

SPAIN
Fab Lab Barcelona
Electronic projects

SPAIN
Fab Lab Barcelona
Detail of the electronic space (components and machines)

SPAIN
Fab Lab Barcelona
View of the second room (where are the big machines)

SPAIN
Fab Lab Barcelona
Big laser cutter

SPAIN
Fab Lab Barcelona
Milling machine

SPAIN
Fab Lab Barcelona
Kuka robot with 14 axes

SPAIN
Fab Lab Barcelona
Kuka working

SPAIN
Fab Lab Sevilla

South Spain Fab Lab
Economic Model and financing:
Facilities: The university pays for 1 technical and bought the machines. The
2 Milling machine, 2 laser cutters, 3 3d printers, 1 vinyl cutter students pay a reduced cost to use the machines and professionals pay
a different price than the students.
Location:
Fab Lab Sevilla is located inside the Escuela Tecnica Superior de Public:Mostly architecture students and professionals. Sometimes,
Arquitectura de Sevilla people from interactive and multimedia area.
Staff: 1 director part time (professor of the school), 1 technician Overall Impression / atmosphere: This fab lab has the spririt of
(contracted from the university), 3 architects working per project. community, they have a very horizontal model and the students feel
completely free to come to the lab, study, construct things and meet
Open to the public: people. The lab also receive several professors that are visting the
Open to the public everyday university and professionals that come to Sevilla for a special workshop
or conference.

SPAIN
Fab Lab Sevilla
The entrance of Fab LAb Sevilla and the building of the
Universidad de Sevilla, where fab lab is located

SPAIN
Fab Lab Sevilla
General view of the Fab Lab - open space with work tables and
machines

SPAIN
Fab Lab Sevilla
Entrance and administration room

SPAIN
Fab Lab Sevilla
The two laser cutters

SPAIN
Fab Lab Sevilla
Examples of materials for laser cutter

SPAIN
Fab Lab Sevilla
3d printer and video conference system

SPAIN
Fab Lab Sevilla
Milling machine room

SPAIN
Fab Lab Sevilla
Storage room

SPAIN
Fab Lab Sevilla
Some experiments

SPAIN
Fab Lab Sevilla
Bird house constructed at the first Fab Lab Kids Sevilla

some reﬂexions

Fab Labs aren´t machine
spaces

some reﬂexions

Fab Labs aren´t machine Fab Labs are meeting
spaces spaces for people that use
the machines in their
projects

some reﬂexions

Fab Labs aren´t spaces
exclusively centered on
students

some reﬂexions

Fab Labs aren´t spaces Fab Labs are spaces
exclusively centered on where the students meet
students profesionals, teachers and
community to share
knowledge

some reﬂexions

In Fab Labs there´s no
linear structure, like
theory coming before
practice

some reﬂexions

In Fab Lab there´s no In Fab Labs the knowledge
linear structure, like is get through more
theory coming before complex ways. it´s usual
practice the concepts of: hands on,
fabricate things and
understand after

some reﬂexions

Fab Labs aren´t spaces
where the user wait for
the technician help when
they ﬁnd a problem

some reﬂexions

Fab Labs aren´t spaces The users of a Fab Lab are
where the user wait for active people that help
the technician help when each other, in order to
they ﬁnd a problem solve their problems. They
also document how to
solve the problem to help
the community.

some reﬂexions

In Fab Labs we don´t use
the concept of author,
patents or copyrights

some reﬂexions

In Fab Labs we don´t use We use the philosophy of
the concept of author, “open”, co-creating,
patents or copyrights learning with the peers,
sharing the information
with the community,
sharing documentation
with the network in order
to democratize the
knowledge and the access
to the new technologies
and achieving a more
innovative project

A project of Fab Lab Brasil Association

Coordinated by
Heloisa Neves
heloisaneves@fablabrasil.org

With
Andrea Bandoni (survey at the dutch Fab Labs)
Juliana Henno (english revision)

contact:
www.fablabbrasil.org
info@fablabbrasil.org

Fab Labs Around the World - Heloisa Neves

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