Abstract:

During the last years architecture and engineering practices have been incorporating Digital Fabrication technologies on their processes and university programs have been pushed to accommodate new demands provided by the opportunities of all these next generation technologies. The paper will show how digital fabrication is modifying and implementing the curricula of architecture and engineering students of CEU University’s Institute of Technology, showing the projects carried out by students at the Digital Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab Madrid CEU) during the Fab Academy Program. Directed and taught by the director of the MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms, Neil Gershenfeld, Fab Academy has been designed to teach hands-on skills in FabLabs, training students on a wide variety of digital fabrication, electronics, molding and casting and composites practices. The paper will be focused on the explanation of the processes that are conducted during the program, that allow students to improve their curricula thanks to the use of new technologies as 3d scanning and printing, computer controlled cutting and computer controlled machining, as well as advanced technological languages.

Thanks to Fab Academy students learn a set of digital fabrication tools and skills that allow them to produce an innovative work through the file-to-factory process of CAD/CAM fabrication. During the program global lectures on different topics are held every week by Gershenfeld. Besides, instructors in local laboratories provide hands-on activities on these topics and offer their practical knowledge to help students develop a week’s assignment. Students work on the assignment using lab materials, equipment and machines, immediately applying all the concepts covered in the global and local classes and document their progress in a personal blog. In parallel to the weekly assignments, students work on a personal final project which integrates mastery of all the skills learned during the course: the use of computer-controlled laser cutter for press-fit assembly three-dimension structures from two-dimensional parts; a large numerically-controlled milling machine for making larger sized parts; a vinyl cutter to produce printing masks, flexible circuits, and antennas; a desktop sized precision micron resolution-milling machine to make three-dimensional molds and surface-mount circuit boards and finally, 3D scanners and 3D printers. The paper will show how all these tools are related to the main objective of the program: the use of advance languages and technologies to help students on the digital fabrication of conceptual, analytical, constructive and structural models as well as prototypes that improve their curricula.

Keywords:

Digital Fabrication, FabLab, active learning.