BNY Mobile Fab Lab

Carnegie Science Center’s BNY Mobile Fab Lab brings in-depth digital fabrication to your school. Using laser and vinyl cutters, 3D printers, a CNC Router, and more, the mobile maker space gives students the opportunity to experience the STEM-based maker movement, taking their designs from computer screens to robotic machines. From conception to fabrication, students learn how to turn “bits” into “its.” Each three-day-or-more Mobile Fab Lab experience includes teacher professional development, at no additional cost.

Learn more about bringing maker education to your students. Contact Mobile Fab Lab Education Coordinator Ben Kusserow at 412.802.2147 to book your program.

To help align your visit with scheduling and curriculum goals, Mobile Fab Lab programming is offered in three different styles:

• Project workshops can be run in 90-minute or longer sessions, for 16 participants at a time. Fab Lab education facilitators will lead groups through digital design using 2D or 3D software and where students learn how the computer-controlled machine works while fabricating their unique projects. Projects can be tailored to individual curriculum needs.
• Our engineering challenges can engage up to 30 participants at a time. Students work in teams to design, prototype, and test projects. These two-hour or longer challenges are designed to use basic making materials as well as digital fabrication machines so that teams are introduced to the software and hardware capabilities of the Mobile Fab Lab.
• Flagship programs utilize the Mobile Fab Lab for small group, multi-day and multi-machine projects. The hosting location can work closely with the Fab Lab Mobile Education Coordinator to create a project that has an impact beyond the classroom, into the school and local community. Time requirements and group size will vary depending on the project.

Not sure about which activity to bring to your location? Consider our most popular project workshop – making Foamcore Gliders. Students design custom gliders, taking into account the physics and engineering that go into how to make a glider glide.

Most Fab Lab activities are designed for students in grades 3 and up, but content for younger students is available. Fab Lab activities highlight the engineering design process but are appropriate to a wide range of content areas.

Space and setup requirements: Equipment is unloaded off of the Mobile Fab Lab and a makerspace is set up at the hosting location in a classroom-sized or larger space, for the duration of the visit. All Mobile Fab Lab equipment can be unloaded into an ADA-accessible space utilizing ramps and elevators. Mobile Fab lab equipment cannot be transported up and down stairs. Setup and teardown requires up to two hours at the beginning and end of the engagement.

Check out an example of what the Mobile Fab Lab might look like in your classroom.

Mobile Fab Lab pricing: All pricing assumes concurrent programs at a single site, with one setup and tear down. Travel fees may apply.

• One-day visit: $1,100
• Two-day visit: $2,100
• Three-day visit: $3,100
• Four-day visit: $3,850
• Five-day visit: $4,525

With questions and to book the Mobile Fab Lab, contact Mobile Fab Lab Education Coordinator Ben Kusserow at KusserowB@CarnegieScienceCenter.org or 412.802.2147.

Sponsored by: