Tag Archives: Makerspace
Featured Fab Lab: FabCafe, 3D Printing and Coffee in Tokyo
Featured Fab Lab: FabCafe Tokyo
FabCafe is a space that conveys the FAB spirit in a fun, delicious and easy to understand way. In the center of Shibuya, an area overflowing with youthful energy, FabCafe provides a space where people can enjoy making things in an exciting environment furnished with a variety of digital fabrication tools, including a laser cutter and 3D printers.
More approachable than a Makerspace, FabCafe allows customers to rent the high tech equipment by the half-hour, and enjoy a coffee and snack while waiting for something to be fabricated.
Chiaki Hayashi and Mitsu Suwa opened this FabCafe in Tokyo, Japan last year, and there are plans to expand to Taipei and Barcelona this year. Tim Wong is partnering with Hayashi and Suwa to launch FabCafe in Taipei this coming May. As for the planning for FabCafe Barcelona, it is still in a very early stage and the effort is led by one of Tim’s friends locally in Barcelona.
Here is one of incredible projects that have come out of FabCafe: a 360 Panorama Book.
Below is a video of customers participating in a workshop at the FabCafe’s CUBE area, where they can use 3D scanners and 3D design software.
Read more from our series of Featured Fab Labs.
Note: Article was updated to provide proper credit to Chiaki Hayashi and Mitsu Suwa for their founding of FabCafe Tokyo.
Fab Lab of the Week: Westport, CT Library’s MakerSpace 3D Printing
This week’s featured Fab Lab is the Westport, CT library, which provides public access to two 3D printers. The library’s MakerSpace was featured in The Republic, a Columbus, Indiana publication.
The hottest attraction at the Westport Library is not a book or collection of DVDs, but rather two manufacturing units.
At the heart of the spacious library, an area called MakerSpace has been carved out to encourage creativity and the spirit of invention. Inside the space are two MakerBot Replicator machines — 3D printers, as they are more commonly known.
Librarians have observed an increase in vistors interested in 3D printing.
It was after a hugely successful Maker Faire last April that librarians started thinking about getting the 3D printer and creating a space just for makers, hence MakerSpace.
Reference librarian Margie Freilich-Den said the library helps its patrons with job searches, and the Maker Faire was just one step to encourage residents to “get back to our manufacturing roots” and encourage people with ideas to try them out. Maker Faire is sponsored by Maker magazine and is its own brand promoting innovation, invention and doing things yourself.
“It’s another way to use the library,” said Marcia Logan, the library’s communications coordinator.
Since the first 3D printer started operating in July, dozens of visitors have come in to see it, use it and learn.
One man brought in his patented design for a device that plugs into a car cell phone charger and locks the phone so it cannot be used to text or talk while driving. Another man brought his own patented design for a medical device, a type of catheter.
But most either try to see what it can do by choosing an item from a computer program of 3D designs called Thingiverse, or print something they need, like cases for iPhones, staff members said.
The Westport Library will be sponsoring a mini MakerFaire in April.
Fab Lab of the Week: Maker Kids Lab in Toronto
This week’s featured Fab Lab is Maker Kids Lab in Toronto. Maker Kids is a non-profit center that gives kids the space and tools to design and build their own creative projects. From 3D printing to robots, the lab has everything you would expect from a makerspace, just with smaller chairs.
In recent years, the Maker movement has grown exponentially through print publications, web sites, events and community spaces. Collective community workshops known as Hackerspaces or Makerspaces have grown worldwide from 124 in 2009 to over 500 in 2011. We are at the leading edge, providing one of the first kids’ Makerspaces, empowering all kids to be Makers.
We started in 2010 with a summer program and school events. In 2011 we obtained a permanent space and renovated it extensively. Our Makerspace has areas and tools for woodworking, electronics, mechanical creations, 3D printing, programming, art, sewing, and all kinds of other crafting and making. It is a centre for ideas, inspiration and implementation – a resource centre for our community.
Our program relies on a strong volunteer base and mentorship by kids themselves. Our adult collaborators are facilitators for the kids, and also encourage them to seek out resources to learn on their own, and to teach each other. Teenage collaborators help the younger kids as a part of their high school volunteer hours, as well as work on their own projects.
Interwoven with everything we do is our philosophy to honour kids’ own creativity and trust their abilities. Kids who are confident in their own abilities are capable of learning and doing anything!
Photo credit to Ponoko, who visited Maker Kids this past week and posted some photos from their trip.
Top 3D Printing Headlines Last Week: Leaders, Records Broken, Burritos
A roundup of the top news On 3D Printing brought you from June 18 to June 24.
Monday, June 18
- Profiling the Five Heavyweights Driving the 3D Printing Industry
- Fab Lab of the Week: Milwaukee Makerspace Adopts 3D Printing
Tuesday, June 19
- Objet Launches Versatile Objet30 Pro Desktop 3D Printer in Japan
- Shapeways Friday Finds: Cheshire Cat, Kaleidoscope Clock, Dragon Transformer
Wednesday, June 20
- 3D Printing Marketplace Shapeways Raises $6.2 Million Series B Funding
- Nano Rubik’s Cube: Shapeways Member 3D Prints Puzzles in Millimeters [Video]
Thursday, June 21
Friday, June 22
- Making 3D Printing Accessible: Interview with Tinkercad Founder
- Chipotle Beware: BurritoBot Will 3D Print Your Lunch to Order
Saturday, June 23
Fab Lab of the Week: Milwaukee Makerspace Adopts 3D Printing
Milwaukee Makerspace is part social club, part hackerspace. They held their grand opening party in April 2011 and have been growing ever since.
At its heart, [Milwaukee Makerspace] is a social club for people who like to build, invent, tinker and/or collect new skills and expand their minds. We have a wide range of skill sets in our membership and you’re likely to find someone who can talk about most any technical concept with you in a meaningful way. We are also a physical space where you can come, 24/7 as a full member, and have access to wide array of equipment you are not very likely to have at home. Plus, there are folks around the space that can give you tips and pointers on operating that equipment effectively. (About page)
The space is home to a variety of equipment and tools, from woodworking to electronics to robotics to metal working to photography. Unfortunately, their only 3D printing equipment, a MakerBot CupCake is not currently in the shop. But it looks like this is about to change.
In May, some members came together to showcase 3 different 3D printers: a MakerGear Prusa Mendel, a MakerGear Mosaic, and a Printrbot.
In June, they are expecting a visit from MakerBot to “show off their Replicator and talk about 3D printing.”
And in July, the Makerspace is hosting a 3D printing meetup:
3D Printing is getting more and more popular, and we’ve got a bunch of members who have built printers, or are building printers, or just know a heck of a lot about 3D Printing, so we figured we should meet up and discuss the topic.
So if you’ve ever wondered what in the world a MakerBot was, or heard of RepRap or Printrbot, or just wanted to see an actual 3D Printer laying down molten plastic to make a real-world object, well… we’ve got just the ticket.
We’re excited to see the Milwaukee Makerspace adopt 3D printing!
Want to learn more? Watch the video below to hear from the founding members of Milwaukee Makerspace.
