Fabrication Lab

Consider everything an experiment. Nothing is a mistake. There’s no win and no fail, there’s only make. The only rule is work. If you work it will lead to something. It’s the people who do all of the work all of the time who eventually catch on to things. Dont try to create and analyze at the same time. They’re different processes. Always be around. Come or go to everything. Always go to classes. Read anything you can get your hands on. Look at movies carefully, often. Save everything—it might come in handy later. — Corita Kent Consider everything an experiment. Nothing is a mistake. There’s no win and no fail, there’s only make. The only rule is work. If you work it will lead to something. It’s the people who do all of the work all of the time who eventually catch on to things. Dont try to create and analyze at the same time. They’re different processes. Always be around. Come or go to everything. Always go to classes. Read anything you can get your hands on. Look at movies carefully, often. Save everything—it might come in handy later. — Corita Kent
Fabrication Lab (FA 112) studio space

Lab Info

Fabrication Lab
FA 112 — Salme Harju Steinberg Fine Arts Center
Campus Map →

Studio Specialist

Rob Sohmer
Studio Specialist
r-sohmer@neiu.edu
Hours (FA 112):
Wed 9:00am–4:00pm
Thu 9:00am–12:00pm
Fri 9:00am–4:00pm

Art + Tech Faculty

Todd Irwin
Assistant Professor
t-irwin@neiu.edu
Allen Moore
Instructor
A-Moore22@neiu.edu

Studio Schedule

Times studio is occupied:
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
ART 234
9:00–11:30
ART 280
12:00–2:30
ART 280
12:00–2:30
ART 380
3:00–5:30
ART 234
4:10–6:40
ART 380
3:00–5:30
ART 234
4:10–6:40

Art + Design Department

General Contact

Fabrication Lab questions:
t-irwin@neiu.edu

About This Space

The Fabrication Lab supports digital fabrication, physical computing, and hybrid studio practices in the Art + Technology Area of the NEIU Art + Design Department.
The lab is equipped with machines for 3D printing, CNC machining, Laser cutting and engraving, and 2D plotting. We have areas for soldering electronics, and fabricating materials such as wood and acrylic. The lab is outfitted with bot Mac and windows computers, with an array of audio and visual equipment availiable for student use. Here we emphasize digital and material experimentation in a safe and responsible enviroment.

Access to the Fabrication Lab

Students enrolled in Art + Tech classes
Faculty assistance required: CNC, Boss Laser, Resin Printer.
Students enrolled in outside classes: you must book time with the Studio Specialist.

Equipment

Machines

Machine Notes Docs / Specs
Bambu Lab A1 6 printers 2 with AMS First-come, first-served.
Filament: PLA, PETG, TPU (others by approval).
(Docs coming soon)
Anycubic Resin Printer (Max) Faculty assistance required. (Docs coming soon)
Universal Laser CO₂ laser cutting / engraving.
Bed size: 12 × 24 in.
Step-by-step Specs
Boss Laser Faculty assistance required.
CO₂ laser cutting / engraving.
Bed size: 44 × 54 in.
Step-by-step Specs
Inventables CNC (X-Carve) Faculty assistance required.
Work area up to 48 × 48 in.
(Docs coming soon)

General Equipment (No Booking)

EquipmentNotes
xTool desktop laser cutterApprox. 4 × 4 in. working area
Silhouette vinyl cutters / plotters (3)Vinyl + plotting workflows
iDraw 2D plotterPen plotting
Brother sewing machineTextile prototyping
Epson large-format scannerHigh-resolution scanning
Oculus VR headsets (3)VR demos + prototyping
Teenage Engineering modular synthAudio experiments
Hand saws and woodshop toolsBasic cutting + assembly
DeWalt drillGeneral purpose
DeWalt sanderGeneral purpose
Various TV sets and monitorsDisplay + critique
Several projectorsProjection + installation testing
Hydraulic press and small metals toolsPress + basic metalworking

Fabricatio Lab Safety

All users must review and follow Fabrication Lab safety procedures. At this time, safety information is maintained in a central document.
Faculty assistance required: CNC, Boss Laser, Resin Printer.