FabLab
FabLab is FIT's professional digital fabrication lab
FabLab provides 3D printing, laser cutting, vinyl cutting, and vacuum forming for students, staff and faculty. Current equipment:
- Handheld Structure 3D scanner
- Universal Laser Systems ILS 12.75 laser cutter
- Graphtec CE-7000 vinyl cutter
- Mayku FormBox vacuum form machine
- 3D printers: MakerBot, FormLabs Form2 & 3, Ultimaker 3, Raise 3D Pro2, Stratasys F120
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.
Vinyl cutting services include single color die cut stickers and inkjet printing onto clear or white vinyl with custom die cutting
Accepted File Types
vector-based Adobe Illustrator files
Costs
- print and cut: $2.00/linear inch
- single color vinyl: $1.00/linear inch
- application tape (for single color vinyl only): $0.25/linear inch
Guidelines
- Using Illustrator, convert all fonts to outlines. 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.
- Optional application tape (transfer tape) aids in aligning artwork when pressing into place for single color vinyl only.
- To print-and-cut on a 24" vinyl roll, your cutting vectors and artwork should be on separate layers with a 1.5" uncuttable margin on both sides so the file's width is 21" maximum.
- For more in depth vinyl cutting information, use our vinyl cutting guide (.pdf). Guide is a pdf and requires Adobe Acrobat or Reader. For additional tips, view our video quick guides, Illustrator- Image Trace, Vinyl Sticker Application Tape, Vinyl Cutting Vector File Setup, and Illustrator - Outlining Fonts.
Single color vinyl. FabLab logo is an example of a blue single color vinyl cut:
Application tape. For use with single color vinyl only. Use it after the sticker has been cut and weeded to transfer it to a substrate. Photo is an example of the process:
Print and cut. High quality inkjet print. Choice of clear or white vinyl (see staff for adhesion details). Photo shows examples of print-and-cut stickers:
3D printing services include full-service (see below) and self-service printing.
Learn about 3D printing with FabLab such as our services, policies and procedures and common modeling pitfalls!
First time modeling? Get started with these 3d modeling & sculpting software --TinkerCad, Autodesk Meshmixer and ZBrushCoreMini.
Examples of 3d printing in the real world.
Accepted File Type
.stl
Costs
- FormLabs Form2 & 3 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. $0.50/ml ($5.00 minimum charge) - Ultimaker 3 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 with water-soluble supports.
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: $0.50/g
Specialty filaments: $0.75/g ($5.00 minimum charge) - 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/cubic inch ($5.00 minimum charge) - Stratasys F120 Soluable supports industrial-grade, high quality.
Build size: 10"L x 10"W x 10"H
ASA ivory & ABS black plastic: $7.00/cubic inch ($5.00 minimum charge)
Guidelines
You're responsible for paying for both build and support material. Submitted files must be setup according to our file prep guidelines so please download our 3d printing guide (.pdf) and view our 3d video guides. We will not correct any files that are setup incorrectly. They will be returned for correction which could delay your turnaround time. Guide is a pdf and requires Adobe Acrobat or Reader.
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 guides.
Support Material
All 3D printers generate support material differently, and all support material types
have different post-processing and finishing requirements. The Raise 3d and Stratasys
F120 have dissolvable support material but the Form, Ultimaker, 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: Vacuum forming guide (.pdf) . Guide is a pdf and requires Adobe Acrobat or Reader.
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 $0.75 per minute.
Guidelines
For in depth laser cutting information, see our laser cutting guide (pdf). Guide is a pdf and requires Adobe Acrobat or Reader. For additional file setup tips, view Illustrator - Vector File Setup, Illustrator - Pattern Creation, Illustrator - Outlining Fonts video quick guides.
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
