1. Fab Labs are digital fabrication workshops that provide access to tools like 3D printers, laser cutters, and electronics equipment. 2. To be officially recognized as a Fab Lab, spaces must meet requirements around open access, sharing knowledge and designs, using a common set of tools and processes, and participating in the global Fab Lab network. 3. Fab Labs are used for education, prototyping, and starting businesses. They bring together diverse groups like students, entrepreneurs, artists and more to collaborate on projects.

1. How do we use and
optimize Fab Lab
Geoffroi Garon-Épaule, M.A., Doctorant
Startup Entrepreneur – Human Capital Valorization, Digital Pygmalion
Researcher and PhD Student in Communication, UQAM
Board administrator, Communautique Living Lab and Fab Lab
Workshop | October 22, 2015, Montreal
The World Conference on Mass
Customization, Personalization,
and Co-Creation
MCPC 2015

2. Customer driven
supply chains
(Frank Piller)
to
User driven
social innovation

3. BionicoHand
Nicolat Huchet, MyHumanKit
Short Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYpECcEaM1E

4. Open Innovation Systems
Events
• Hackathons
• Jams
• Open Forums
• World Café
Temporary systems
• Public innovation laboratories
• Codesign circle
• ChangeLabs
• Innovation Challenges
Long term systems
• Living Labs
•Fab Labs
• Coworking space
• Accelerator and Incubator
• Venture Capital
• Innovation communities
Contents
• Open Data
• Open Source
• Open Science
• Big Data
Source : Umvelt, Bluenove
Platforms
• Crowdsourcing
• Crowdfunding
• Community of
practice

5. Digital fabrication Systems
Fab Lab
Very specific set of
requirements for space,
tools, software and
curriculum
Makerspace
More mainstream vision
of a publicly-accessible
creative space, intended
to enable as many crafts
to the most significant
extent possible.
Hackerspace
Largely focus on
repurposing hardware,
working on electronic
components, and
programming.
Techshop
A chain of for-profit spaces
offering public access
to high-end manufacturing
equipment in exchange
for membership fees
Fabrication laboratories – fab labs – tools for sustainable development

6. Fab Lab : definition
• Fab Lab contains various pieces of computer controlled
fabrication equipment ranging from 3D printers, laser
cutters and milling machines to sewing and embroidery
machines, not to mention a variety of electronic
components and materials.
• Fab Lab also provides access to computers and easy-to-
use design and manufacture software, capturing your
ideas and turning them into reality at the press of a
button.
• The Fab Lab is staffed by friendly highly-skilled
technicians who can offer support and training in the
use of the equipment. All we ask is that users share
their ideas and knowledge and help fellow users to get
the most out of the equipment and resources.

7. Fab Lab : MIT Label
To be able to call your space a Fab Lab by MIT, you need
to respect 4 elements :
1. Public access to the fab lab. A fab lab is about
democratizing access to the tools for personal
expression and invention. (Each week)
2. Subscribe to the fab lab charter.
http://fab.cba.mit.edu/about/charter
3. Share a common set of tools and processes. The labs
can share knowledge, designs, and collaborate across
international borders.
4. participate in the larger, global fab lab network, that
is, you can't isolate yourself. This is about being part
of a global, knowlege-sharing community through
the videoconference, attending the annual fab lab
meeting, and otherwise collaborating and partnering
with other labs in the network on workshops,
challenges or projects.
http://wiki.fablab.is/wiki/ConditionsForFabLabLabel

8. Fab Lab : services
https://fablab.berlin/en/

9. Fab Lab : tools
Fab lab currently comprises from $25-$65k in capital
equipment and about $15-40k in consumables.
You need to have this common set of tools computer
controlled machines in your Fab Lab:
1. 3D printing machine (3,500$)
2. Laser cutting machine (30,000$)
3. CNC machine to milling various hard materials
(wood, composites, aluminum, plastics, etc.
(20,000$)
4. Vinyl cutting machine (2,500$)
Total of 100,000 $ in machineries and materials.
http://fab.cba.mit.edu/about/fab/inv.html

10. Fab Lab : process
• Principles and practices
• Project management
• Computer-aided design
• Computer-controlled cutting
• Electronics production
• Computer-controlled machining
• Electronics design
• Molding and casting
• Composites
• Embedded programming
• 3D scanning and printing
http://academy.cba.mit.edu/classes/
• Input_devices
• Interface and application
programming
• Mechanical design
• Output devices
• Networking and
communications
• Machine design
• Applications and implications
• Project development
• Invention, intellectual property,
and income

11. Fab Lab : space
Modena, Italy
http://www.fablabmodena.com

12. Fab Lab : peoples
1. Champion/Fab manager : a local community leader
who believes in and is passionate about the fab lab
concept and what it can do for the community. the
person who promotes the fab lab, gives tours of the fab
lab and hadles press, manages the finances of the fab
lab, raises funds for fab lab, develops community
programs for fab lab, schedules the fab lab
2. Fab Lab Guru/Technical expert : a background in
mechanical engineering or design or possibly
architecture, with some experience with electronics
and/or computer programming. This is the person who
will work directly with users and students in the fab
lab. He/She will teach people how to use the software,
the machines, and safety, as well as help people make
and design their projects.
+ technical support person (part time)
+ external expertise and a lot of volunteers.
http://www.fabfoundation.org/fab-labs/setting-up-a-fab-lab/the-people

13. Fab Labs : ecosystem and support
The Fab Foundation was formed to facilitate and support the
growth of the international fab lab network through the
development of regional Fab Foundations and organizations.
The Fab Academy is the distributed education platform
of the worldwide network of Fab Labs.
The Fab Wiki is a multilingual documentation platform to
help implement fab labs around the world.

14. Fab Labs : video conference network
All labs have a screen open to others in the network

15. Fab Labs : community in the world
http://www.fabfoundation.org/fab-labs/
Over 300 Fab Labs around the world.
Most of them : USA, UK, Italy, France, Germany,
Spain, Netherlands.

16. Fab Labs : Americas
Fab Labs des Amériques – 2015 -Communautique
Canada (9)
Education (44%)
Citizen participation (33%)
Startup (11%)
Sectors

17. • The first Canadian fab lab accredited by MIT
• Is a participatory space where everyone has access
to technology and can learn to create, carry out
projects and share knowledge with other
community members.
• It is a digital manufacturing lab and a place where
information is passed on to the masses.
• The workshop allows for cross-pollination, open
innovation, the demystification of new technologies
and ongoing development that relies on tangible
objects—often interactive and connected to the
Internet—as opposed to computer code.
• http://echofab.org
http://www.communautique.qc.ca
échoFab (Communautique)

18. Planification:
100 days – Students (ETS University, QI)
50 days – Educational projects (school)
100 days – Startup and SME
100 days – Public
50 days – Family
Projects exemples :
• Research : We use digital badges to recognize 21
century skills in a non-formal learning approch in a Fab
Lab and a Living Lab.
• Prototyping : We codesign products or services for
elders in Fab Lab with students and olders persons
(60+)
échoFab (Communautique)

19. Fab Lab advantages in Business
With a operational Fab lab open to public, you can
access to a lot of new community and prototype with
real users :
• Roles : artist, engineer, entrepreneur, makers,
hackers, social innovator, student, researcher, etc.
• Persona: kids (boys and girls), elders, person with a
disability, family, workers, etc.
• Groups of interest : Education, health, startup,
economic, design, social, etc.

20. Future of social Innovation
Umbrella
of opportunities and sense making
(Smartcity, Silver economy, Internet of Object)
Ecosystem
of spaces and codesign methodologies
(Open innovation Hub, Living Lab, Fab Lab)
Infrastructure
of soft and hard technologies
(Connectivity, Platform, Building, City)

21. Thanks
Geoffroi Garon-Épaule, M.A., Doctorant
@geoffroigaron - www.geoffroigaron.com
Startup Entrepreneur – Human Capital Valorization,
Digital Pygmalion, www.pygmalionnumerique.com
Researcher and PhD Student in Communication,
UQAM, www.lca.uqam.ca
Board administrator, Communautique Living Lab
and Fab Lab www.communautique.qc.ca