Frequently Asked Questions

Fabrication Laboratories, or FabLabs, are part of a global initiative that emerged from MIT’s Center for Bits & Atoms Fab Lab Program.  They are creative hubs that provide learners with access to technologies, equipment, training, and inspirational spaces in support of invention and entrepreneurship. For more, see About the FabLab.

The FabLab services are for current UTA faculty, staff, and students of any major or year of study.  Anyone who is interested in learning the latest technologies to turn ideas into reality can use the FabLab to iterate their ideas and work with other learners in the space to come up with new ideas. We strive to accommodate as many modes of creation as possible and constantly search for new ways to help students learn and innovate.

We are a teaching and learning space, so while we are more than happy to walk you through your ideas and show you how to use the software and equipment you will need, we cannot make items for you.

To enter the Central Library and to use our equipment, you must remember to bring your Mav ID; we swipe this card before you begin using equipment so that we can better keep track of whose creations are whose! You'll also need Mav Money loaded onto your ID to pay for the materials you use in the lab. If you've lost your ID, please visit the Mav Express office to replace it.

Yes! While we usually scale back our hours for the summer when traffic is lower, we are still open 7 days a week.  You can view our current hours on our Location and Hours page.  Check back there for new hours when the fall semester starts.

We only accept payment via MavMoney or print cards from library services.

If you have an existing student ID issued by the university you can add money to your Mav ID at www.uta.edu/mavexpress. There is a link on the left of the page that will take you to the GET page where you click on the student sign-in. Use your NetID and password, then you’ll be able to click the green button to "add funds". Note that the vendor for this service charges a $1 convenience fee per transaction.

There is also a print card machine available on the second floor of the Central Library and at the Bursar's Office that you can use to load cash onto your ID in person without paying the transaction fee.

Absolutely!  FabLab staff have a basic knowledge of the operation and use of each piece of equipment. We are more than willing to help you learn and get going with anything in the lab. We operate under a mantra of, "if we don't know the answer, we can learn it together," so if you want to do something that surpasses our expertise we will work with you to find possible solutions that fall within safe use of the equipment.  We will also offer workshops to provide more in-depth instruction in a more formal setting.

Check out our tutorials page for more information on our equipment.

We are currently developing a checkout system for some equipment (mostly hand tools). We know a lot of projects can expand beyond the library and are fully committed to helping you explore your creativity wherever it takes you.  When that system is in place, we will update the website!

The only thing we charge for at the UTA FabLab is the cost of consumable materials we have to restock. A good rule of thumb is, if you bring your own materials, it’s free. We do require that learners use the 3D printer filament that we provide so that we can cut down on clogs and misprints on the PolyPrinters; you can bring your own pre-approved filament to use on the Prusas!  Other materials and equipment accessories we consider to be consumables include: vinyl, screen printing ink, sewing needles & threads, and bits.  A current list of our materials and prices can be found on our Materials page!

FabLab staff should be familiar with all the equipment in the lab. While we all have the knowledge for basic use of equipment, more advanced jobs might need the help of a technician or specialist. Sometimes we really push the bounds of our knowledge and try new and exciting things, we are always willing to learn the equipment along with you!

Check out our Equipment and Materials page for more information on our equipment.

Everyone! We are constantly seeking outside input about equipment and technology so we can provide our community with the best FabLab experience possible. From attending annual workshops with personnel from other FabLabs around the globe, to simple meetings with our day to day learners, we're always asking what people want to see in our FabLab. The FabLab is a diverse and fluid environment that you can take a role in shaping!

While we can assist learners in using different programs for use with FabLab equipment, familiarity with a 3D design program and a vector design program would certainly be beneficial for learners to have. While we do our best to help learners export their files for printing out of their software of choice, there are too many software options for us to be experts at all of them. Many learners use TinkerCAD, SolidWorks, Rhino, Fusion 360, and Meshmixer for 3D files, and Adobe Illustrator, AutoCAD, or Solidworks are common for 2D vector files.

Unfortunately, we cannot store projects in the FabLab, especially overnight. We ask that you take your project with you after you are done working with the FabLab equipment.

Our FabLab staff members are easy to identify due to their black aprons and name tags. Although our staff will routinely walk the entire FabLab area, most often they will be assisting learners in the area with the 3D printers and laser cutters. Come on in – we’re here to help!

To 3D print on all machines is 5 cents per gram, for ABS and PLA filament. Ninjaflex filament is 15 cents per gram.

In order to 3D print you need to bring in an .STL file.

No!  If you would like a group member or friend to pick up your print, talk to our staff about adding them as an Authorized User.  All persons picking up 3D prints must have their physical ID present - our staff will only charge the account of the person who has come to pick up the 3D print, we cannot charge a different ID number.

  

3D printing is the process of taking a virtual 3D file and turning it into a physical object. The process that we use at the FabLab is Fused Deposition Modeling or FDM and consists of laying down thin layers of molten plastic to build up a physical model.

We require that you use the filament we provide for use on the PolyPrinters.  This is because we experienced a variety of issues with clogging, recalibrating, and keeping track of what was ours and what belonged to our learners.

We do allow learners to bring their own filament (from a pre-approved list) for use in the Prusas.

To make a color swap print at the FabLab first you need to come in and prepare your gcode normally using KisSlicer. Once you have your g-code go to https://fabapp.uta.edu/ and click on Tools. Then, enter the height in millimeters of the layer that you want the new color to start on and select the color. You can use KisSlicer to find the exact layer height to set. If you want to do multiple color swaps then you can set additional color by clicking on the Add Additional Color Swaps button. Once you have all the color swaps you need click on Submit and the file will automatically be downloaded.

The dimensions of the print area for the Polyprinters is 229mm x 229mm x 229 mm, the Prusa’s print area is 250 x 210 x 200mm, and the UPrint print area is 203 x 152 x 152 mm.

We have a variety of colors of ABS filament. We also have a limited selection of PLA and Ninjaflex.

Both ABS and PLA are hard plastics while Ninjaflex is a flexible elastic filament with the following specific properties:

Density: 1.20g/cm3

Young’s modulus [GPa] Tensile: .1124 Compressive: 0.15

Poisson’s ratio Tensile: 0.344 Compressive: 0.340

Shear modulus of μ= 3.58MPa

For laser cutting you can bring a vector file like .AI or .SVG. If you want to etch or engrave with the laser cutter then you can use .PNG, .JPG or a .BMP.

A vector file is an image file that, unlike most digital images, is not pixel based. As such, it is infinitely scalable. This means that you can enlarge or shrink the image without losing resolution / image quality.

The Epilog laser has a cutting area of 24 in. x 18 in, and the boss laser has a cutting area of 24 in. x 36 in. but also has a pass through option.

We currently do not sell materials for our laser cutters but we are planning on offering an assortment of materials for sale in the near future. That said, we typically have an assortment leftover scraps of various sizes and materials in a cart between the laser cutters, which learners are welcome to use for free.

The laser cutters can cut and engrave many materials both organic and non: we have managed to cut and engrave wood, glass, acrylic, and paper products like cardboard or cardstock. The only restrictions we have are no chlorinated/brominated materials due to potential machine damage. Lexan-brand plexiglass is also not recommended as it absorbs the laser radiation and tends to melt and scorch rather than cutting cleanly. If you are unsure about a material, please come talk to our staff before purchasing. 

Each learner has a 1 hour time limit with a laser cutter before it is the turn of the next learner in line. If you are working with a laser cutter and there aren’t any learners in line behind you to use it, you can continue as long as you need it. It’s important to note that the hour time limit includes setting up your file and testing the settings of the laser cutter on your material. We ask that all learners prep their files before using the machine in an effort to be considerate of both your own time as well as others. For file prep questions, please ask any of our staff.

We suggest talking with our staff before your time to use the laser cutter begins so we can help review your file, especially if you are starting a large engraving/raster job or if you otherwise suspect your file might take longer than an hour. We can help you strategize how to possibly divide your file into separate jobs and/or parameterize to achieve your intended effect within the one hour time limit. We may also suggest typically less busy times to come in and use the machine if dividing your file isn't possible. If it so happens that your time runs out before your file is done and there is another learner waiting for the laser cutter, we will, unfortunately, have to stop your job.

Ask any of our staff for assistance! They will unlock the sewing or embroidery machine you wish to use and get you all set up.

The FabLab charges per duration of time spent on the machines in the Fabric area. Our rate is one dollar per hour.

The Brother Multi-needle Embroidery Machines accepts .SVG files from Adobe Illustrator.

No, but we have an assortment of free fabric samples of various sizes and materials. That said, you are encouraged to bring your own supplies if you have a specific need.

Yes! We stock a generous assortment of colors of both embroidery and sewing thread for our machines. We do our best to make the machines and basic supplies available to all learners but can’t accommodate every need.

The Shop Room is regularly open for learners to work on projects during Open Shop Hours; from 2:00pm – 8:00pm Tuesday-Thursday. Trained staff managing the space during Open Shop Hours and are there to assist you. To gain access to the Shop Room during Open Shop Hours, learners are required to successfully complete equipment trainings. For information about our required trainings, please see the Q&A below. We also offer a furniture workshop series that combines training on needed tools with instruction and materials to fabricate accessible furniture pieces.

For learners to gain access to the FabLab Shop Room, they must first complete the General Shop Safety Training followed by tool-specific training for the equipment that they want to use. A list of all our upcoming trainings can be found here (https://libraries.uta.edu/services/fablab/news) as well as on a kiosk outside the Shop Room. Unfortunately, we are not able to accept prior reported experience as a substitute for our training.

No. You only need to have successfully completed the trainings on the tools you intend to use. For example, if you only want to use the Sawstop table saw during our Open Shop Hours, you will have needed to have successfully completed the General Shop Safety Training and the Table Saw Training.

Since we operate on a first come, first served basis, we only allow learners to get on the waitlist if they come in person to the FabLab.

Do not worry. We will contact you through the means you provided at the time you got on the waitlist when we are ready for you to come. The timer is a general estimate and does not take into account things like equipment maintenance, pauses in prints, or restarts.

Yes the waitlist resets each night at close. If you come first thing in the morning then that is your best chance to be able to use equipment right away.

Yes, we operate on a first come first served basis and do not prioritize any learners over others. We recommend that you plan ahead for peak times such as midterms and finals as we often have overloaded waitlists. Coming in as soon as we open is also recommended to maximize the chance you can get on the equipment right away.