The concept
In 2001 Neil Gershenfeld at the Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA) at MIT teaches the course How to Make (Almost) Anything. Growing demand from non-engineering students leads in 2003 to the creation of the first Fab Lab (fabrication laboratory) prototype as a public space outside MIT where a subset of CBA’s capabilities becomes accessible to anyone.
What a Fab Lab contains
A standard Fab Lab includes a minimum set of machines:
- 3D printer — filament (FDM) and resin (SLA)
- Laser cutter (CO₂) for cutting and engraving
- CNC mill for wood and plastics
- Vinyl cutter for stickers and flexible PCBs
- Electronics workstation — soldering iron, multimeter, oscilloscope, microcontroller programmers
- Precision milling machine for PCBs
Typical entry cost in 2003-2010 was 50,000-100,000 USD in equipment; since 2020 it has become significantly lower thanks to market evolution.
The network
The Fab Lab model is distributed: each lab is autonomous but adheres to the Fab Charter — commitment to share resources, projects and knowledge with the global network. As of 2024 there are over 2,500 Fab Labs in 125 countries.
Governance is coordinated by the Fab Foundation (founded 2009), which also runs the Fab Academy (distributed educational curriculum since 2009) and the annual International Fab Labs Conferences (FAB1 Boston 2005 → FAB2024 Puebla).
Software tools
Fab Labs mostly use open source tools and open standards:
- FreeCAD, OpenSCAD, Blender — parametric CAD and modelling
- KiCad, EAGLE — PCB design
- Inkscape — vectors for laser cutter
- Cura, PrusaSlicer, Slic3r — 3D printing slicers
- Processing, Arduino IDE — programming for interactive prototypes
Cultural meaning
The Fab Lab is the physical home of the maker movement: from access to tools once available only in factories to the democratisation of production. Related ideas:
- Atoms ↔ Bits: ability to turn digital files into physical objects
- Learning by making: experimental pedagogy, “show don’t tell”
- Open hardware: shared schematics and designs for reproducibility
- Distributed production: alternative to globalised supply chains
In the Italian context
Italy adopts the model quickly: from 2011-2012 the first Fab Labs open in Turin, Milan, Reggio Emilia, Rome, Venice. Many are linked to universities (Politecnico di Torino, Politecnico di Milano), to tech parks or to incubators. The movement is an integral part of the Maker Faire Rome ecosystem (since 2013) and of local innovation policies in Italian municipalities.
References: Fab Lab (Neil Gershenfeld, MIT Center for Bits and Atoms, 2001-2003). Book “Fab: The Coming Revolution on Your Desktop” (Gershenfeld, 2005). Fab Foundation (2009). Fab Academy. Fab Charter. 2,500+ Fab Labs worldwide (2024).