Fab lab is a Digital Fabrication facility with set of machines and software for directly converting CAD designs to physical parts. The idea of Fablab was conceptualized in the Centre for Bits and Atoms (CBA) group at MIT. MIT is recommending every Engineering Institution to have a Fab Lab facility as this will be great tool to foster innovation.
More details about fab labs and fab lab foundation can be found at these websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fab_lab
Advantages of FAB Lab to College & Students:
- Complete digital fabrication facility (convert designs into physical prototypes & models)
- Useful for fabricating prototypes for student, academic & research projects.
- Useful for all Engineering departments in the college.
- Can be used for curriculum training of various courses like CAD/CAM lab, mechatronics lab, metrology lab etc.
- Get recognised by MIT in their website and become part of a global network of recognised fab labs.
- Offer vocational and manufacturing skill development training programmes to students & professionals.
- Offer consultancy services on digital fabrication to Industries.