Fab Lab

A Fab Lab (short for fabrication laboratory) is simultaneously a workshop and a laboratory, equipped with computer-controlled tools like laser cutters, CNC milling machines and 3-D printers. A global network of Fab Labs gives teams and individuals access to digital high-tech fabrication technologies. The Fab Lab movement is founded on the ground-breaking idea of enabling almost everybody to make almost everything, almost everywhere. The book opens with various authors sharing insight on topics including the emergence of Fab Labs, the philosophy behind them, and their commercial aspects, as well as the techniques, methods and processes used. Following this, a real-world example is presented, looking at the creative and technical processes of one project undertaken at Fablab Amsterdam. In the second half of the book, 27 noteworthy projects and products are featured in the Fab Gallery, demonstrating the full diversity of possibilities that Fab Labs offer.