Fablab TECFA

Introduction

The TECFA unit at University of Geneva sponsoring this wiki does have have some making technology and we are teaching it. According to the Fab Lab conformity self-rating we rate it CCCB: (1) Closed or restricted user group; (2) No charter; (3) Difficult to do projects that require other tools than a 3D printer, laser cutter, "standard DYI" tools or electronics. (4) Very little participation in the community, However, we did produce useful tutorials and contribute in that sense (see the fab lab category). We also have contacts with local fablabs.

Our intent was not to create a fab lab as defined by the FabLab community, but we explore teaching of design and micro-fabrication in education. Of particular interest right now is the UK's Digital Design and Technology Programme.

Our master students in educational technology can follow optional design and fabrication 6 ECTS credit semester classes about once per year, as described in STIC III and STIC IV offerings. See CFAO for an overview.

- Daniel K. Schneider 20:05, 12 October 2011, updated oct 2014/ aug. 2017.

See also:

• Fab lab
• Tour de Fablab

Equipment

So far, we got the following equipment (there will be 1 or 2 more devices, e.g. a hobby mill):

(1) Embroidery machines and software

• Elna 8300 (spring 2011)
• Brother PR1050X Semi-professional embroidery machine (Aug. 2017).
• Stitch Era embroidery software (since 2011, several tutorials)

(2) 3D printers

• RapMan V 3.11 (bought in jan 2010). It still works, but we use it as nice museum piece.
• Fabbster 3D printer, bought in March 2012 (given away)
• Felix 3D printer (V. 1.0), bought in April 2012.
• Felix 2.0 3D printer (V 2.0), bought in oct. 2013. (given away)
• Felix Pro 1 3D printer, bought in Dec 2015, upgraded to Pro 2 in nov 2018.
• CR-7 3D printer, bought in Nov 2015, given away in 2017.
• Felix TEC-4.1 3D printer, bought in Nov 2018
• Two Dagoma printers
• Two (original) Prusa i3

Documentation:

• See the 3D printing and fr:category:impression 3D categories.

(3) Digital piano

• Yamaha DGX-640 digital piano (fall 2011)

(4) Vinyl cutter

• Silhouette Cameo (feb/2012)

(5) Laser cutter

• Trotec Speedy 100R (sept. 2016)
• Documentation: laser cutting and découpe laser categories

(6) Heat press

• Ricoo T538B heat press (oct. 2017)

(7) Electronics

• Adafruit Circuit Playground Express (CPX) (several plus various accessories)
• Microbit
• Arduino and Raspberry PI boards, e.g. see the Beekee project

(5) Planned

• A resin or SLS printer
• Maybe a food 3D printer

Classes

(in French)

• fr:STIC:STIC IV (2011) - Design et microfabrication par ordinateur
• fr:STIC:STIC IV (2013) - Design et microfabrication par ordinateur / Elargis tes Horizons
• fr:STIC:STIC IV (2015) - "Design et fabrication de kits constructifs avec OpenSCAD"
• fr:STIC:STIC III (2016) - Design of group support tools with laser cutting
• fr:STIC:STIC IV (2017) - Computerized embroidery for change.

In addition, we organized and or participated in some workshops with either kids or teachers, for example:

• fr:STIC:STIC IV (2015)/Hackday Batelle (Nov 2015)
• Expand your horizon (2013)
• fr:STIC:Atelier design et fabrication digitale (2015)