Fab Labs give everyone, from young children through to entrepreneurs and businesses, the capability to bring their ideas and inventions to life.

The first UK ‘Fab Labbers’ have already made a ‘Sky Baby’ folding travel carry cot; a ‘Crackit Bat’ ultra-light beach cricket bat and a model wind turbine. A group of young carers are working towards creations that will help make their caring duties easier, including: a baby’s bottle with an inbuilt colour changing temperature gauge; a multi-purpose DIY tool; and a toothbrush with an inbuilt MP3 player. They were given early access to the Lab to help test out the new equipment prior to opening. See details of case studies, available for interview, at bottom of press release.

Born from an outreach project by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in inner-city Boston, Fab Labs have exploded around the world. From urban areas, to the villages of Africa, they are connected by a global video link network, enabling ideas, designs and knowledge to be shared across cultures and borders.

The Manufacturing Institute intends the Manchester FabLab in the East Manchester regeneration area to be the first of many for the UK. The Project is being supported by the Manchester Innovation Investment Fund, comprising: The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), the Northwest Development Agency (NWDA), Manchester City Council, Manchester: Knowledge Capital, and the Commission for the New Economy.

FabLab founder Professor Neil Gershenfeld, Director of the Center for Bits and Atoms at MIT, said: “Fab Labs give people the tools they need to create technology, to be creative and make the stuff that they can’t buy in the shops. Manchester led the first industrial revolution and now it is at the centre of a new industrial revolution where anyone can make anything, anywhere using digital manufacturing.”

Julie Madigan, Chief Executive of the Manufacturing Institute, said: “Fab Labs bring together the opportunities and skills to liberate the innovations of individuals, communities and small businesses. This is a groundbreaking opportunity to broaden our innovation base and increase crucial invention skills. It’s a proven grass roots approach that will directly benefit the economy and different parts of the community.”

Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester has a proud history of innovation and Fab Lab will be another first, as well as another ingredient in the regeneration of east Manchester. This imaginative project has the power to inspire invention and innovation – bringing together young and old, businesses and individuals, to empower them to create their own products.”

Shepherds in Norway have used their Fab Lab to create mobile phones to track sheep. In Afghanistan ‘Fab Labbers’ are creating a local telecoms infrastructure and prosthetic limbs, while in South Africa a government and business backed project is creating simple internet connected computers that hook up to televisions and cost just ten dollars each.

The Manchester Fab Lab is free to non-commercial users. Businesses and inventors can opt to protect their product development ideas by paying to use the service. It will reverse the top down approach to technological advancement by empowering everyone to invent.

The centre is managed by mechanical engineer Chrissy Phipps. Complete novices can use the centre and receive help in developing their own ideas, or in building some of the products made at other Fab Labs using ready-made instructions.

‘Fab Labbers’ can use advanced digital and manufacturing technology to make products out of wood, acrylic, composite moulds, silicon, cardboard, sheet aluminium, plastics, copper foil and vinyl. There are waxing, chemical moulding, milling and routing, laser cutting, electronics, textiles, embroidery, vinyl cutting and 3D scanning and printing facilities.

It will have a direct connection via the internet and real time video to the worldwide Fab Lab network, so that users can keep in touch, problem solve and brainstorm ideas with others as far afield as Pretoria, Ghana and Afghanistan.

Visit the Fab Lab website for more information

What is a Fab Lab?

It is a fully-fitted digital fabrication workshop where anyone can go to learn skills, make products that they want for themselves, develop small business ideas, be part of a linked global community and strengthen local links by working together on products to help their own communities.

There are already Fab Labs across the World, from inner cities to the villages of Africa, connected by a global network which enables the sharing of ideas, designs and knowledge.

How will it work?

First, and best of all, standard use of this resource will be free to you and your group. The workshop can be used by anyone who has an idea that they would like to make – they can come along, learn how to create what they want, make it and then take the product away.

We will also be running sessions for groups to start the ideas flowing and take them through the practical skills of using the machinery to produce items.

The workshop really encourages users to interact with and learn from each other, swapping ideas and techniques, and is a fabulous opportunity to be part of a global community.

With all the world-wide Fab Labs linked by live video conferencing, users are able to connect with other users from all over the globe, encouraging cooperation and facilitating cultural learning.

How can you get involved?

Right now we are looking for your input to make sure this project is tailored to your needs. One of the best ways for you to find out more and get involved would be to come along to our Fab Lab Forum Discussion in April (there’s a flyer in PDF format about the event here), where we have secured the founder of Fab Labs, Professor Neil Gershenfeld (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), as a speaker.

The Forum Discussion will bring together our local supporters and potential users such as yourselves, providing a great opportunity to shape the future of the project.

Agenda for the event

• 09:30 Reception: Tea, coffee and breakfast rolls
• 10:00 Dr Julie Madigan: Introduction to The Manufacturing Institute
  • History of The Manufacturing Institute
  • Charitable objectives
  • Community links/activities
• 10:10 Prof. Neil Gershenfeld: Personal introduction and the concept of Fab Labs
  • About Neil Gershenfeld and the MIT Centre for Bits & Atoms
  • Digital fabrication – the new revolution
  • Fab Labs – conception and history
  • International Fab Lab Community
• 10:40 Dr Eddie Kirkby: North West Fab Lab – implementation and possibilities
  • Why a Fab Lab in the North West
  • Implementation plan – timescales, location, etc
  • Possibilities – what could a Fab Lab mean to the community?
• 10:55 Break: tea, coffee and biscuits
• 11:15 Panel discussion:
  • Jonathan Lawson – The Manufacturing Institute – Chair, Neil Gershenfeld – MIT, International Fablabs, Julie Madigan – CEO, The Manufacturing Institute, plus three expert contributors – to be confirmed
  • How to make it happen – getting the most out of the Fab Lab.
  • Set questions and open discussion – how could parties contribute to the ‘success’ of the Fab Lab and what would this look like
• 12:45 Lunch
• 13:45 Close

How to attend

If you would like to come along to the Fab Lab Forum Discussion on the 22nd April, contact Jonathan Lawson by phone on 0161 874 3241 or by email at jonathanl@manufacturinginstitute.co.uk.

Please be aware that places are limited and will be in high demand.

Where and when

Starts 9.30am, ends around 1.45pm, Wednesday 22 April 2009.

The Manufacturing Institute, Quay West, Trafford Wharf Road, Manchester M17 1HH

Who’s organising this event?

The Manufacturing Institute, in partnership with the Innovation Investment Fund, who are facilitating the pull from several North West communities and groups to see the frst UK Fab Lab pilot set up here in our region. You can find out more on the Manufacturing Institute’s website.