Fabrication Lab
A place to make (almost) anything
The SUTD Fabrication Lab (Fab Lab) is where ideas leave the screen and take physical form. Cut it, print it, mill it, wire it, break it, rebuild it — this is hands-on learning, with machines that let students build whatever they can imagine.
At the Fab Lab, theory meets workbench. From their first year, SUTD students design and build real, working things: products, machines, robots, experiments. Laser cutters, 3D printers, CNC and water-jet machines sit alongside traditional wood and metal workshops, so the distance between an idea and a physical prototype is measured in hours, not months. You learn engineering here the way it’s actually practised — by making, testing, failing fast and making again.
Ready to build? Three steps to a machine
Every SUTD student can use the lab — you just need to be trained and authorised first, then reserve machine time through the booking system on the SUTD intranet.
- Complete the required training. Finish the safety and equipment training for the machines you intend to use.
- Obtain equipment authorisation. Get the relevant authorisation from Fab Lab staff before operating any machinery.
- Reserve your slot on the intranet. Open the booking system, pick your machine and time, and follow all safety rules and staff instructions on the day.
Off campus? The booking system is hosted on the SUTD intranet — connect to the SUTD VPN before opening it. On campus, it opens directly.
Whatever you’re making, there’s a shop for it
Metal, wood, plastic, fabric, electronics — a full set of specialist shops sit under one roof, staffed by people who’ll teach you the machine and support you along the way.
- Metal Shop – Manual and CNC machining for metal parts — lathes, mills, drill presses, fiber laser cutting machine and waterjet cutting machine for turning your drawings into precise, durable components.
- Wood Shop – Circular, band, panel, table, radial-arm saws, CNC router, plus sanders and finishing tools for timber work at any scale.
- 3D Printing Lab – A fleet of FDM, SLA, SLS, PolyJet printers for rapid prototyping.
- Electronics Lab – PCB makers, soldering stations, bench power supplies, oscilloscopes and component stock for building and debugging circuits, PCBs and embedded projects.
- Laser Lab – CO₂ laser cutters and engravers for acrylic, plywood, cardboard and fabric — the fastest way to go from 2D drawing to physical part.
- Welding Shop – MIG, TIG and arc welding bays with fume extraction for joining steel and aluminium frames and structures. Training and supervision required.
- Sewing Section – Sewing machines, an overlocker and cutting tables for fabric, soft goods and wearable projects — from bags and covers to e-textiles and prototypes that need to flex.
- Makerspace 1 & 2 — Open work areas with benches, hand tools and basic equipment for general prototyping and team projects.
- Assembly Space – A large open floor for putting together bigger builds, test-fitting sub-assemblies and staging projects before showcase or delivery.
The entire list of machines and processes available in the fab lab is published on SUTD Central>Undergraduate>Fabrication Lab (Intranet facing).
Location
SUTD
Building 5, Levels 1 and 2
8 Somapah Road
Singapore 487372
Questions? Email fablab@sutd.edu.sg or drop by Building 5 for a chat with us.