{"id":9505,"key":"Fab_labs","title":"Fab labs","latest":{"id":1207645,"timestamp":"2025-11-27T22:37:09Z"},"content_model":"wikitext","license":{"url":"https://www.appropedia.org/Appropedia:Copyrights","title":"CC-BY-SA-4.0"},"source":"[[File:Imprimante 3D - cité des sciences - Fab Lab.JPG|thumb]]\n\nA '''Fab Lab''' ('''fab'''rication '''lab'''oratory) is a small scale workshop that functions as a research center where prototype designs are printed for further assessment before giving the go ahead to produce it in large quantities. Fab labs tend to require a collection of different (expensive) machines. The machines they have at their disposal allow them to make almost anything. This includes [[technology]]-enabled products generally perceived as limited to mass production.\n\nFab Labs, with their focus on creating accessible tools and technology, offer unique opportunities for generating revenue. These spaces can provide services such as 3D printing, laser cutting, and prototyping to individuals, schools, or small businesses. Charging for these services can sustain the lab while keeping prices affordable for the community.\n\nIn addition, Fab Labs can host workshops or training sessions to teach people how to use equipment or develop skills in design and manufacturing. Offering memberships is another option, where users pay a monthly fee for access to the lab and its tools.\n\nA [http://web.archive.org/web/20110720000644/http://cba.mit.edu/projects/fablab/ fablab] is a portable machine shop / manufacturing facility under development at the MIT Media Lab. A small number of fablabs have been deployed around the world.\n\nFab labs are a common platform for open design, a.k.a. [[open hardware]], allowing designs to be shared around the world electronically, and manufactured [[Distributed manufacturing|locally]].\n\n=== Fab labs around the world ===\n\nA list of fab labs per country can be found at [https://fablabs.io/ fablabs.io]\n\n==== See also ====\n\n* [[Fabrication center]]\n\n==== External links ====\n\n* [[Wikipedia:Fab lab]]\n* [[p2pfoundation:Fab Labs]]\n* [http://fab.cba.mit.edu/ Fab Lab at the Center for Bits and Atoms]\n* [http://www.media.mit.edu/physics/pedagogy/fab/fablab.htm Fabrication Lab's Webpage]\n\n==== References ====\n\n* Gershenfeld, Neil A.,{{W|Neil Gershenfeld}} ''Fab: the coming revolution on your desktop—from personal computers to personal fabrication'', Basic Books, New York, 2005, ISBN 0-465-02745-8\n\n<references />\n\n{{Page data\n| license = CC-BY-SA-3.0\n| keywords = Manufacturing, Prototyping, Open design\n| description = Fab Labs bring ideas to life. Appropedia shows how local spaces provide tools and training for innovation.\n}}\n\n[[Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]\n[[Category:Community action project]]\n[[Category:Manufacturing]]\n[[Category:Prototyping]]\n[[Category:Open design]]"}