UPDATED 16:22 EDT / JULY 15 2013

NEWS

Kickstarting The Fab Lab: The 3D Manufacturing Facility

The arts charity SPACE is looking to crowdfund an accessible and affordable 3D manufacturing facility for artists and creative on Kickstarter.

Branded the Fab Lab (Fabrication Laboratory), the London, Hackney-based facility would provide access 3D tools and instruments including 3D construction material such as a laser cutter, a vinyl cutter, soldering irons, 10kg of filament in ABS and PLA and a sewing machine for conductive thread use and a prototyping and experimentation two 3D printer.

“The Fab Lab will allow the many thousands of artists in the East End to really push 3D printing technology and laser printing technology in directions that would otherwise would not have been possible,” said Levin Haegele, visual arts and media training manager at Space.

Membership to the space would cost a minimum of just £20 per year to support artists of all ages and backgrounds and provide accessible services.

“As a charity that offers support for over 700 artists and designers, an affordable and accessible 3D reproduction facility will not only continue our remit to support artists and designers, but will also allow for creative across London to try their hand at taking their ideas to a level that may not have been evident before,” says Haegele.

In addition to providing the needed 3D tools for artists and designers, the Fab Lab will host lectures and seminars around the digital manufacturing processes theme. The Lab will also conduct workshops and one to one support with the software and equipment.

Born in Berlin, Germany, and now living and working in London, Levin Haegele interests lie in the intersection between technology and craft and their relationship to architecture.

Founded in 1968, SPACE is a charitable arts organization that provides support, training and resources to artists to make the great art and runs creative learning projects for children.

The Fab Lab is hoping to raise £15,000 by 27 July and currently it managed to raise more than $2,323 from 65 backers at the time of writing. The contribution of £20 through Space’s Kickstarter page for pledging this project includes membership of the Fab Lab, and 3D printed sculptures for larger donations.

3D printing is gradually coming to mainstream with support for industry’s big player including Microsoft. The Redmond company at recently concluded build conference announced full support for 3D printing in the upcoming Windows 8.1 operating system. Pirate3d, a Singapore-based startup, announced its flagship 3D printer product–The Buccaneer and looking for funds from Kickstarter campaign. NASA awarded a $125,000 grant to Anjan Contractor’s company, Systems & Materials Research Corporation, to create a prototype of universal food synthesizer or a 3D food printer. And Marius Leo, a graduate student from France, builds an entire home printable camera: The OpenReflex, the first open source 3D printed camera.


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