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1. digital fabrication principles and practices – 1 week
This week mainly focuses on coming up with a project for the semester and to sketch and find a good basic idea of what you want to do. The goal is to learn the principles of what a fab lab is and the philosophy behind what to do, like form follows function.
2. computer-aided design, manufacturing, and modeling – 1 week
This week’s goal is to take your ideas and to construct basic rough sketches of them on computer programs, like corel and tinkercad. That way you begin to gain a better understanding of what you want to do, and have a prototype to test and print later on.
3. computer-controlled cutting – 1 week
This week’s goal is to print out many different things on many different programs. Students printed out things on Corel, on the vinyl cutter and many other programs and put things together. The goal of this week is mainly to learn the machines and the process for printing on them.
4. electronics design and production – 2 weeks
The goal of this week is to use circuits and circuit boards, and then program them accordingly. Using a milling machine is also an important part of this week, since you can use the machine to mill circuit boards. Also with circuit boards, soldering is very important. In order to connect wires and resistors to the board its necessary to learn how to solder. These are some of the skills that are encouraged to learn this week.
5. computer-controlled machining – 1 week
The main focus of this week is using the CNC machine. Students were tasked with making something big using the CNC machine. One software used was vCarve Pro, which allows printing on the CNC machine. The benefits of the CNC machine is has a z axis, allowing it to build 3D objects. Students used this machine to make different objects, like rockets and seats.
6. embedded programming – 1 week
This week, the goal was to learn the programming part of circuit boards. First, they read datasheets from a microcontroller, and then started to use Arduino to program their boards. One example was using Arduino to program the board to light up, or blink. Mainly this week was learning how to program a circuit board to do something.
7. 3D molding and casting – 1 week
This week the main goal was to make a 3d model and then make a mold of it. Some people used openSCAD while others used shopbot. There end goal was to get a cast, and have some sort of mold inside, whether it be a rocket or a letter.
8. collaborative technical development and project management – 1 week
This week focused on how to manage a project, and organize it. They learned what questions they needed to ask and how to successfully plan a project. It also focused on working together in groups to finish a project.
9. 3D scanning and printing – 1 week
The goal of this week is to learn how to use tinkercad and other 3d printing software. It is also really important to master how to print and use tinkercad effectively since 3D printing is so important. Another part of this week is 3D scanning. One program used is called Sense, and it scans different objects to be 3D printed.
10. sensors, actuators, and displays – 2 weeks
These two weeks consisted of learning about input and output devices. Students were tasked with learning about input devices, and how to add a sensor to a micro controller. Students used different sensors, and eventually learned what different input and output sensors looked like.
11. interface and application programming – 1 week
Mainly students learned to create their own computer interface using Arduino. Using old circuit boards, they programmed their Arduino so that when a user did something, like hit a button, the interface would change accordingly.
12. embedded networking and communications – 1 week
This week focused on communication between two different computers. The main assignment was two microchips communicate wirelessly. Using multiple arduinos, you could have the Arduino send different messages and blink to other computers. Students also learned about the I2C communication protocol, which is very confusing.
13. machine design – 2 weeks
The goal of this week was to make a machine using the tools they had learned, and it was a group project. Groups brainstormed different ideas, and then used the laser cutter or 3D printer or other machines to successfully print them out. This week was preparation for the final project, since this almost mirrors what the final project is.
14. digital fabrication applications and implications – 1 week
This week the goal was to apply the previously learned fabrication principles and to propose a final project. Students came up with materials, tasks needed to be done, questions they had and what’s been done beforehand.
15. invention, intellectual property, and business models – 1 week
This week mainly focuses on figuring out how to share your project to the world. This also includes continuing work on it, and focusing on good ways to market your project.
16. digital fabrication project development – 2 weeks
These two weeks basically mean finishing the project by using different tools. Students document everything they do, and include different files in order to work towards the final project.
1. Identify a project from any of the FabAcademy links and summarize what the student has set out to accomplish. What did they eventually complete and were they close to their original idea? Looking through their documentation (website) what did they explain as the most challenging part of the project? Include a link to the project documentation page in your answer. Embed an image of the selected project within your blog post. Not as an attachment.
The student, Citlali Hernandez, decided she wanted to use a circuit board to be able to track the movement of her elbow, in order to do different things. She wanted to use it during preforming arts, in order to turn on lights or sounds. She created her idea almost exactly. One problem she faced was connecting different batteries and other things to her circuit board. A lot of things fried, and there were major problems. She documented her project at http://archive.fabacademy.org/archives/2016/fablabbcn2016/students/139/htm/week_19.htm.
Her final project looked like this
2. Why did you pick this project? What got your attention?
I picked this project because over the summer I did something with wearables, and it looked similar. I was curious how she made this from scratch and what her code was for the Arduino. I think the circuit board is really interesting because it is kind of small, but can definitely be made even more comfortable.
3. What FabLab ideas are rattling in your head about what you would like to make or explore?
I’m thinking about doing something in regards to architecture. I have a project coming up in another class that is very free, and I was thinking about using the 3D printer to make an architectural design. I could also use the CNC machine to make 3d printed things out of wood, and use the vinyl cutter to attach different components.
4. What are some of your interests that you would like to connect to projects in the FabLab? (i.e. environment, sustainability, fashion, fabrics, jeweler, robotics, programming, woodworking, furniture design, product design, engineering, CAD software, medicine, etc.)
Some things that I would want to connect is architecture, programming, and robotics. One project I could try to make a robot that is programmable as well.
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