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 projects

CommercialSocial

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 – eddiek@manufacturinginstitute.co.ukHaydn Insley – haydni@manufacturinginstitute.co.ukWeb: http://manchester.ukfablabs.org/Twitter: http://twitter.com/fablabmcr

Fablab

Thank you for listening!

Questions?