Hands-On with Cutting-Edge Technology

 
The CVAD Digital Fabrication Lab is available without an additional charge or fee to all students enrolled in at least one CVAD course in each semester. Students have access to high-end fabrication and maker equipment to meet course and professional requirements.
 
The Fab Lab is open for student use on the Monday following the 12th day of class each semester. Until then, it is open exclusively to instructors for training, class preparation, and research project planning.
 
Hours of Operation
Visit the CVAD Hours page.
Manager: Christa Grogan
Location: Art Building, Room 361

Access

The Digital Fabrication Lab is available for use by all currently enrolled UNT students in support of their academic programs. Once the lab opens to students, CVAD faculty and staff will be provided access to the Digital Fabrication Lab on a space-available basis after it has opened to students each semester. Priority will always be given to students. A valid UNT ID is required for admission. Once space is at a premium, faculty and staff will be requested to leave to allow access for students.
 
Before a student may use any of the equipment in the Digital Fabrication Lab, the following requirements must be met.
  • Enroll in the Digital Fabrication Lab group in Canvas.
  • Complete the mandatory Safety Training and submit an electronic form indicating that you have completed the training, complete a short quiz, understand and accept the policies.
  • Additionally, you must provide a signed Permission to Use Release Form.
  • Once you have completed the safety training and submitted the required forms, you will be able to begin making appointments to use the equipment. You must use our reservations system to schedule an appointment. If a piece of equipment is available and no one has an appointment to use the equipment, you may use the equipment without an appointment.

Additional Fab Lab Requirements

  • Each patron may only be assigned to one piece of equipment at a time.
  • Only one student per machine allowed.
  • No patrons are allowed in the lab outside of posted lab hours.
  • Patrons must present a valid UNT ID at the front desk upon check-in.
  • Beverages and food are not permitted in the labs. Drinks with lids can be left in the cubbies by the door.
  • The use of cell phones for calls — voice or video chat — in the labs is prohibited. 
  • The table workspaces are for shared use, and space is limited. Be considerate of others working in the labs.
  • Clean up before you go. Sweep around your work area, clear off any scraps or other materials on machines, tables, and the floor.
  • Patrons are not permitted to repair, dismantle, or modify any of the machines in the labs.

Appropriate Use of Fab Lab Equipment

CVAD students, faculty, and staff may use the equipment for all academic and professional work. The equipment is intended for use in creating art, not as a commercial production facility; as such, multiple copies of the same item are not permitted. A piece of artwork created in the labs (as part of a student or faculty member’s academic or professional work) may be sold. The use of the equipment to create items specifically for sale, such as commissioned work, is not permitted.
  • CVAD students may create works for use by student organizations
  • Equipment may be used to create items for UNT departments and organizations that have purchased a CVAD Fab Lab Pass.
  • Equipment may be used to create work for external partners working with CVAD.

Prohibited Use of Equipment

The creation of the following projects is prohibited at the discretion of the CVAD administration.
  • Any project prohibited by local, state, or federal law.
  • Any project that is unsafe, harmful, or dangerous. 

Role of the Lab Staff

The staff is present for patron safety, the protection of the equipment, and to help patrons troubleshoot problems they may have in using the machines. Staff members are not trained to assist with issues regarding the design process including troubleshooting design software issues. The staff is trained to help process the finished design through the equipment in the labs.
 
The staff is here to help you use the equipment. We can assist you with making your projects, but we can't make your projects for you.
 
If you're not sure about something: ask!
 

Responsibility of the Patron

Each semester, before using the equipment in the labs, patrons are required to read the Fabrication Labs Policies (this document) and complete the Safety Training through Canvas. Until these two steps have been taken, patrons are not eligible to reserve equipment in the labs.
 
Important: All patrons must check in and out at the front desk.
 
Patrons are responsible for maintaining the materials used in their projects, including the files. We do not guarantee the storage of student files on any of the lab computers. Make sure to back up your work.
 
Patrons must take responsibility for their projects. If they have a job that requires six hours of engraving or cutting, they must be present for the entire six hours. If patrons need to temporarily leave the lab while a job is being processed, they must notify the staff, and they may be required to pause their job.
 
If a patron walks away from a job without notice, the staff will pause it until they return. The machines are dangerous and require their patrons' full, undivided attention. Repetitive failure to follow this requirement will result in loss of lab privileges. A few seconds could mean the difference between minimal equipment damage and thousands of dollars of damage. Patrons can be held financially liable for machines damaged by reckless and/or negligent use.
 

Resource Literary Collection

The lab has a Resource Literary Collection. These resources are non-circulating: you are welcome to research while the lab is open, but none of the resources are permitted to leave the labs.
 

Caution

Be aware of yourself and your belongings. This is a small space with various types of equipment; please be aware of your surroundings. Leave your bags in the cubbies by the door.
 

Materials

 The staff reserves the right to refuse the use of the patron's provided materials. Our machines can work with a range of materials, but there are limitations. If the material puts the user or equipment at risk, we will ask that you consider an alternative.
 
The patron must provide all materials except for resin for the SLA printers. Any other materials provided by the labs are done so as availability allows. Patrons are encouraged to bring enough of their material to run tests as well as the project.
 
Materials should be sized down before the equipment reservation in either the Wood Shop or the Sculpture Shop. We recommend the use of a table saw or panel saw for most materials.
  • If you plan to use the Wood Shop, you must attend a Safety Training Session with that department. Contact the Wood Shop supervisor for more information.
  • If you plan to use the Sculpture Shop, you will need to attend a Safety Training Session with that department (offered during the first month of each semester). Contact the Sculpture Shop supervisor for more information. 
The Digital Fabrication Lab cannot provide material storage — what you bring in, you must take out. Materials and supplies left behind will be made available for others to use. In cases where the materials are large and extended use of the equipment will be necessary, you may discuss this with the manager of the labs to determine if it is possible to accommodate short-term storage. Anything left behind without discussion with the lab manager will be treated as abandoned. Large-scale scrap must be broken down by the student enough to fit in the labs' garbage cans or be taken directly to the gated dumpster area facing Mulberry Street.
 
Any surplus or scrap materials made available in the labs are done so on a first-come, first-served basis. The use of these materials is restricted to projects conducted within the labs; we do not provide supplies for projects outside of the labs.
 

Using the Labs

If you are currently enrolled in a CVAD course, you are not required to pay any additional fees to use the equipment in the lab spaces.
 
If you are not enrolled in a CVAD course, you are required to purchase a CVAD Fabrication Lab Pass using the IT Services online dynamic form. This applies to faculty and staff from outside of CVAD as well.
 

Reservations

Reservations on lab equipment must be made online. Only students who have completed Safety Training and are currently enrolled in a CVAD course may schedule an appointment. A reservation will be held for 15 minutes past the start time of an appointment. If you are more than 15 minutes late, your reservation may be given to another patron unless you've notified us in advance.
 
Missing more than two scheduled appointments without prior notice will result in loss of appointment-making privileges for the semester. Email if you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment. Reservations for equipment vary based on the average use of time. We recommend making consecutive reservations for jobs with a duration longer than a single reservation time.
 

File Check Appointments

The File Check appointment is a crucial step whenever a patron is new to the labs, begins a new project, will be using a piece of equipment which the patron is unfamiliar, there are issues with the file, or the patron's project requires any equipment in Room 369 of the Fabrication Labs: CNC Routers, CNC Plasma Cutter, or Wazer — at least one day in advance of your machine reservation. The equipment in this room requires additional file preparation of tool pathing, to be completed or reviewed under the supervision of a Lab Technician.
 
The File Check appointments are "consultation" periods for the patron to make sure they are ready to begin their work on the equipment. Staff will work with the patron to ensure their file(s) are correct and make sure the student is prepared to use the equipment. The standards for file-preparedness are outlined in the File Preparation Document (available on Canvas).
 

Preparedness

To maximize time on the equipment, patrons should arrive prepared to begin working on the equipment. To effectively do so, the following should happen beforehand.
  • File creation: The file must be created and prepared before you arrive at the labs. Use the Computer Lab, Art Building, Room 371, to create and make edits to your files
  • File preparation: As outlined by the File Preparation Document available on Canvas
  • Material Sized Appropriately: Check the Equipment List for maximum bed sizes.
These processes are the responsibility of the patron. Complete the three steps above so that your machine time isn't reduced because of a lack of preparedness. Lab staff reserve the right to stop a patron's job if it begins to overlap with another patron's reservation. Plan accordingly!
 

Faculty Responsibility and Preparation for Class Assignments

If a faculty member plans to use the lab equipment as part of their course, the following must be completed.
  • Completion of the Project Space Request Form.
  • Review the Safety Training module with your class. Students must complete the quiz through the CVAD Digital Fabrication Lab Canvas page.
  • Provide dates that your class will require the lab for demonstrations and specify the equipment that will be used.
Faculty are responsible for providing the necessary software instruction to students (e.g., Adobe Creative Cloud), familiarizing students with the equipment and processes, and assisting the students with file creation or acquisition. Faculty must conduct at least one in-class tutorial on Adobe Illustrator or assign a LinkedIn Learning module if using digital fabrication. The lab attendants will not teach students Illustrator or other file software.
 

Class Tours 

You can schedule a class tour of the Fab Lab throughout the semester by completing the Fab Lab Tour Request Form.
 
Faculty cannot check out machines elsewhere in the labs for their students to use during their class time. The students should make individual reservations to use the equipment on their own time outside of scheduled class time.
 

Health and Safety

 
All lab patrons are expected to follow the CVAD Health and Safety Handbook guidelines.
 

Lack of Compliance with Lab Requirements

The Digital Fabrications Lab Management has the authority to restrict lab access from any patron who abuses the policies outlined in the Computing Policies. Any member of the lab staff may inform patrons of actions that may be in violation and report such observations to the manager.
 
If a patron is banned from the lab, the dean, associate deans, and the chair of the department for their chosen major may be notified.
 
Fab Lab manager speaking to students.
 

Note: If you require a reasonable accommodation due to a disability to fully participate in a CVAD event, please get in touch with the CVAD Dean's Office at cvad@unt.edu or 940-565-4001. For voice access, dial 1-800-RELAYTX (735-2989). Please make the request as soon as possible to allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.