...firstly many thanks to Fabrizio, Marie for welcoming us to the ZH FabLab - we got a great impression of the facilities and we could take-away many creative ideas :-)


Thanks also to all the participants who turned out on this hot, sweltering evening - it was nice to see some old and new faces - some young as well...


The event started with Fabrizio giving us a short presentation of the FabLab before then giving us a guided tour of the Fablab itself.  Fabrizio began with their prized "Laser Cutter", which we quickly discovered was his favourite (as for many other FabLab'ers).  He explained that although the lab had many other delights, this was usually the most heavily utilised, because of it's speed and versatility.  We quickly saw why - the intricate (3D) objects we held in our hands, which are first constructed as CAD Sw designs before being (outputted) to the Laser cutter are really quite amazing. The same can be said for the objects coming out of the 3D printer, albeit a little slower to "print"...


Fabrizio showed how easy it was to use the open source SW to design a key fob, as an example of what one can do with a 3D Printer, or any other device for that matter.  One simply takes the finished design on SHDC card, insert it into the printer and voila!  Well, he also explained it's not so simple - many people including himself spend more time than they expect, since there is always something to setup, calibrate etc.  So my advice - if you are thinking of visiting the lab, then always make sure to add on some time ;-)


The possibilities we saw are endless - the cookie cutter is a novel way to eat your own designs, and the Raspberry PI controlled knitting maching can save a stitch in time, assuming you wish to overlay some fancy writing or graphics...


Marie gave a very good demo of her own Industrial Robot, which she has just recently brough to the FabLab, showing us the metal artwork she was creating for an upcoming event. In the future, she might well offer up a managed event - something which I'm sure could attract a lot of interest.


The FabLab is a non-profit organisation run by volunteers - if you wish to make use of the lab, then it's best to pop along and speak to one of the Lab Managers - they can show you what is required, and how you can get started.  The general idea however is that you learn by doing - simply point your QR reader at the sticker on the machine you wish to use and it will take you to a FabLab wiki giving usage instructions.  There is a nominal annual membership fee and nominal cost per hour to cover Building, Installation & Material costs.  Donations are welcome.  Certain machines may only be used once the necessary training has been followed (Health and safety), otherwise the Zurich FabLab is very accessible, open to all.  Go along, speak with those involved, and get inspired :-) 


One final word, check-out their website, they often run events, for first-timers, or dedicated projects.  They can help introduce you to others, help you to get started...


Jeff Hunter

07 Sept 2017