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Welcome to MakersLab

A space to Make, Design and Explore. Re-imagine design for the future. Learn the tools and skills required to design and prototype almost anything.

 

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The MakersLab gives our students the opportunity to design and prototype in an interactive and creative space on both the Midrand and Greenside Campuses. Architects, interior, multimedia and graphic designers and even engineers are often tasked to create Innocative products under the umbrella of the overall design project. With this in mind, The MakersLab also offers several standalone courses that can help develop skills in entrepreneurial furniture and product design which can be added to existing engineering, architectural, interior, graphic or multimedia design courses.

Lab Facilities to

3D printers

Additive manufacturing can be tested here and pushed towards understanding the composition of forms, material-use and the final application as additive manufacturing holds many benefits in the fabrication and construction industries.

CNC Machine

This is a tool with many applications and can allow the student to combine both 3D Printing and laser cutting into the CNC environment where surface removal techniques will allow us to generate high quality finishes, complex geometries, and precise final interpretations.

Laser cutter

The precise removal of material from a surface allows us to generate flat pack designs that can be assembled on-site or in confined spaces. This tool allows us to experiment with the idea of the long known “Ikea” concept and apply this to larger scales.

Other Machinery

Equipment such as drills, grinders and cutters are all available for students to use as part of the "Makers" process

How It’s Used

Module 1
Design & Digital Fabrication

Design Drawing & Software Application

Students will be exposed to design sketching principles and transferring these ideas to a digital platform using the modelling capabilities of Autodesk Fusion 360.

What will be covered?
  • Basic Software Interface
  • Basic Form Creation
  • Form Manipulation
  • Model Preparation for Fabrication
  • Model Export and Slicing

Module 2
Digital Fabrication

CNC Machining

Students will learn to utilise a CNC router towards reductive form making and fabrication.

What will be covered?
  • Machine Operation, Servicing & Troubleshooting
  • Materials
  • Design planning
  • Cut path setup and machine setup

Module 3
Digital Fabrication

Introduction to 3D printing & Mould making

Students will be exposed to the use and application of additive manufacturing using 3D printers. This module will also cover the process of designing for moulds and the link between additive manufacturing and mould making.

What will be covered?
  • Machine Operation, Servicing & Troubleshooting
  • Materials
  • The Printing Process
  • Mould design and approaches to making

Module 4
Design Visualisation

Product display and presentation

Students will be taught how to represent their product to clients in various modes

What will be covered?
  • Introduction Virtual Reality
  • Graphic Presentation Board Design
  • Product Photography
  • Modelling Forms in Virtual Reality

Lab In Action

Laser Cutting

CNC Machining

3D Printing

Makers Lab

Raving Fans

Melanie Grobler, Happy Student

Makers Academy

I loved every Minute in the MakersAcademy, watching the marvel of the CNC machine and specifically the Laser Cutter. I cant wait to get back there.

Melanie Grobler, Happy Student
Ivor Templer

Greenside Design Center

The MakersLab is the next step in design education and a leap into the 4th Industrial Revolution. We cant wait to see it take root and grow.

Ivor Templer