FabLab
FabLab is FIT's professional digital fabrication lab
FabLab provides 3d printing, laser cutting, vinyl cutting, and vacuum forming for currently enrolled students, staff and faculty. Current equipment:
- Universal Laser Systems ILS 12.75 laser cutter
- Graphtec CE-7000 vinyl cutter
- Mayku FormBox vacuum form machine
- 3D printers: MakerBot, Bambu Lab X1-Carbon, Form2 & 3, Ultimaker 3 & 3S, Raise 3d Pro2, Stratasys F120, Ankermake M5
Check out our library of self-help tutorials and videos
Services
Class projects must be discussed with FabLab management before being accepted. All submitted work must be properly setup before job is started. Files that are not setup properly won't be corrected and will be returned to the customer for correction (which may change the turnaround time).
Services and pricing guide (.pdf) Guide is a pdf and requires Adobe Acrobat or Reader.
Faculty members: FabLab-specific orientations may be requested by completing a FabLab orientation scheduling form (.pdf) and will conducted by Fablab staff. Form is a pdf and requires Adobe Acrobat or Reader.
Three options:
Option 1: Vinyl cut single color (no printing). Available colors -- white, black, orange red, yellow, green, blue, copper and silver.
Option 2: Inkjet print and cut onto white or clear vinyl.
Option 3: Inkjet printed (no cutting) onto white of clear self-adhesive vinyl.
Accepted File Types
- Printed only: psd, jpeg, tiff, png, ai, pdf, jps.
- Print and cut or single color cutting: Vector-based Adobe Illustrator files only.
Costs
- Vinyl cut single color (no printing): $1.00/linear inch. *Optional application tape: $0.25/linear inch
- Inkjet print and cut: $2.00/linear inch
- Inkjet printed (no cutting): $1.50/linear inch
Guidelines
Inkjet print and cut and vinyl cut single color: Convert all fonts to outlines in Illustrator. Letters must have a minimum height of 1/2". Cutout shapes should be a minimum 1/16". Lines should be vector paths. The vinyl cutter uses these vectors as tool paths.
- *Application tape (transfer tape): Optional when ordering a single color vinyl cut. Aids in aligning artwork when adhering it in place.
- File setup: Maximum file size is 21" in width x 60" in length. To print-and-cut on a 24" vinyl roll, your cutting vectors and artwork should be on separate layers.
More information: We highly recommend asking for a sample to test how the vinyl will adhere to surfaces. Please view our video quick guides, Illustrator- Image Trace, Vinyl Sticker Application Tape, Vinyl Cutting Vector File Setup, and Illustrator - Outlining Fonts.
*Photo is an example of the use of application tape which is an option when using the single color vinyl. It helps to transfer your design to another surface
Examples of print-and-cut stickers
3D printing services include full-service and self-service printing. Our 3d printers include a Raise 3d Pro 2, Formlabs Form 2, Ultimaker 3, Stratasys F120, MakerBot Replicator+ and Bambu for self-service.
Learn about 3D printing with FabLab including policies, procedures and common modeling pitfalls!
First time modeling? Get started with these 3d modeling & sculpting software options such as TinkerCad, Autodesk Meshmixer and ZBrushCoreMini.
Some examples of 3d printing in the real world.
Accepted File Type
.stl
Costs
- FormLabs Form2 & 3: Supports removed by customer. Both print extremely high detail using a variety of
specialized plastic resins. They utilize stereolithography, fusing photo-sensitive
polymers into solid objects with focused points of light. Stereolithography allows
for much higher detail than FDM printing, as well as printing in flexible and castable
resins, but the Forms have a smaller print bed and a more involved support-removal
process.
Build size: 5.7"L × 5.7"W × 6.9"H
Resin: ($5.00 minimum charge). $0.50/ml; Specialty filaments $0.75/ml - Ultimaker 3: Soluable supports. Prints using PLA plastic & specialty filaments such as white TPU, PETG, PVA, CopperFill,
WoodFill, BronzeFill, Magnetic Iron, Stainless Steel, Carbon fiber and F-Electric.
Capable of dual or single extrusion.
Build size: Left or right nozzle: 8.5"L x 8.5"W x 7.9"H. Dual material: 7.8"L x 8.5"W x 7.9"H
PLA plastic: ($5.00 minimum charge). $0.50/g; specialty filaments $0.75/g - Raise 3D Pro 2: Soluable supports. Single or dual extrusion.
Build size: 11"L x 12"W x 11.8"H
PLA & ABS plastic: ($5.00 minimum charge). $5.00/cubic inch - Stratasys F120: Soluable supports. Industrial-grade, high quality.
Build size: 10"L x 10"W x 10"H
ASA ivory & ABS black plastic: ($5.00 minimum charge). $7.00/cubic inch
Bambu Lab X1-Carbon: Self-service only. Supports removed by customer.
Build size: 11.6"L x 10"W x 10"H
PLA plastic: ($5.00 minimum charge). $0.35/g
Guidelines
Customer's are responsible for paying for both build and support material. Submitted files must be set up according to our file prep guidelines. Please view our 3d video guides for additional information. We will not correct files that are set up incorrectly and will return them for correction which could delay your turnaround time.
Netfabb is a free STL viewer which can open your 3d files and diagnose inverted normals/faces and bad edges. Please see our Netfabb video tutorials for cleaning and repairing guidance. Netfabb is free and available to download.
Measurements in NetFabb: In the bottom right panel of the NetFabb window, you will see basic dimension information about your part, including size and volume, which can be used to estimate your cost (not including support material). For a more detailed guide on how to use Netfabb to measure and resize your models, please view our video guide.
Support Material
All 3d printers generate support material differently, and all support material types
have different post-processing and finishing requirements. The Raise 3d, Ultimaker
and Stratasys F120 have dissolvable support material but the Form, Bambu and MakerBot printers do not, so customers must clip or sand away their support structures manually.
Example below: Garment designed by Jennifer Lee (Assistant Professor, FBM). Model is Jasmine Matos (FIT tennis player, FBM student). Photographer is Anthony Nguyen (FBM student).
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Highlights of the vacuum forming machine: Food safe transparent sheets; great for product packaging, prototyping, mold making, blister pack, and more. Can be used with concrete, jesmonite, plaster, chocolate, wax, soap, resin, and many other materials.
Choice of either transparent 0.5mm sheets made from food safe, recyclable PETg or white sheets made of Polystyrene, which can be painted and are good for blister and product packaging and prototyping.
The surface finish achieved is almost identical to that of the original object. Use in conjunction with a 3d printer and create molds of your 3D printed designs.
Maximum width and length for mold making: 5.9"x5.9". No vacuum forming objects taller than the object's width.
Costs: $3.00 per mold sheet, clear or white
Guidelines: Please view our video guide: Vacuum Forming: Making Molds & Shapes Quick Guide
Service includes laser vector cutting, vector engraving and raster engraving.
The FabLab is equipped with a Universal Systems ILS 12.75 laser cutter which has a material processing platform of 48” x 24” x 12”.
Accepted File Types
Photoshop .jpeg files for raster engraving
Illustrator files for vector cutting, vector engraving, raster engraving
Illustrator - Vector File Setup Video
Accepted Materials
Download our laser cutting acceptable materials & supplier guide (.pdf) for local suppliers and online vendors. We reserve the right to refuse material if we deem it to be unsafe or inappropriate. Guide is a pdf and requires Adobe Acrobat or Reader.
- 1/4" thick material: This thickness is a general guideline because it depends on your design and the density of the material. Acrylic (only with brown paper backing); Softwoods (Ex: poplar, pine, balsa, cherry, walnut, soft maple, etc.); Paper Based Materials (Ex: cardboard, bristol board, museum board , chipboard, etc.); MDF and CDF; Natural Fabrics
- 1/8" thick material: Leather; Hardwoods (Ex: ash, birch, hickory, elm, oak, hard maple, etc); Cork; Rubber; Faux Leathers (Faux Leathers have to be approved by a Tech)
Accepted Margins
1/4" around entire laser cut file
Costs
Initial setup fees:
- standard job $7.00 setup charge/material
- complex job $10.00 setup charge/material
After the initial setup fee (per material), the price for use of the laser (for vector cutting, vector engraving, and raster engraving) is $1.00 per minute.
Guidelines
Please view our video quick guides: Illustrator - Vector File Setup, Illustrator - Pattern Creation and Illustrator - Outlining Fonts.
Examples below:
Melanie Reim, acting associate dean of the School of Art & Design. Wood laser cut submission for The Art & Design Gallery exhibit, "Conversations: Artwork In Dialogue" March through April 2020. The dialog between the two female 'sand puppets' reads: "And I like, said, it's not what I need, and he said, "I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know".
Interior Design Department, Studio V-Residential. Challenged to prototype a laser cut element for their residential project, students developed designs that were fabricated here at the FabLab. Professors: Joseph Lembo, Takashi Kamiya and Johannes Knoops
T. Jacob Hooker, Accessories Design graduate. Laser cut leather accessory for the BFA graduating student show.
Hojun Lee, Fashion Design graduate. Laser cut dress
