The Fab Store: Difference between revisions

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You can't buy a new hinge. I wouldn't know how to install the hinge even if I had one.

~~In cases like this,~~ I can't find a practical solution to repairing my item instead of replacing it.

I can't find a practical solution to repairing my item instead of replacing it in cases like these.

[[File:Tea Kettle- Broken then Fixed.jpg|alt=Before and after shot of an electric tea kettle lid hinge. The before image shows a rusty, cracked hinge. The after shot shows it repaired and looking brand new.|thumb|A repair cafe's inability to fix a tea kettle with a broken hinge served as an inspiration for the Fab Store.]]

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*'''Retail storefronts''' Convenient, neighborhood Fab Store locations serve customers where they live- anywhere you might find a 7-Eleven. The retail stores diagnose problems and make common, minor repairs. They also sell unique products, [[The Fab Store#Beyond Repairs: A Small-scale Manufacturing Revolution|manufactured in small quantities]] on Fab Store equipment, in search of the next Rubik's Cube or Hula Hoop.

*'''Fab Shops''' Fixing and fabricating happen here! You'll find a 3D Scanner, 3D printer, CNC machinery and makers. One Fab Shop serves many Fab Stores in the same city.

*'''Fab Shops''' Fixing and fabricating happen here! You'll find a 3D Scanner, 3D printer, CNC machinery and makers. These are located in light-industrial zoned areas by necessity. One Fab Shop serves many Fab Stores in the same city.

Let's look into what goes into Fab Stores and Fab Shops.

=== People ===

All the equipment available to Fab Stores means nothing without talented people to operate it. Fixers and makers are crucial to a Fab Store's success.

A fixer can take any broken items, assess it and, if possible, repair it. A fixer must be able to repair anything from small appliances to garments. Volunteers at repair cafes are a great place to scout these talents- turn their volunteer efforts into a day job.

Makers know how to operate the equipment. They are great with CAD software. They know 3D printing technology and would jump at the chance to work on these large-scale printers and modern CNC machinery. Makerspaces are a great place to find makers.

=== 3D Scanner ===

The first step to fabricating a new copy of a broken part is scanning the original part. This gives us the shape and dimensions of the object we're going to produce. The result of the scan appears in the software used to build the new part. If the part that is broken, it is repaired in software before fabrication.

=== 3D Printer ===

Make items not made of metal with the FDM 3D printer, found at the Fab Shop. It prints mostly plastics of various kinds, though it can also use rubber/silicone-like material, carbon fiber and nylon in its creations.

These are professional-grade printers that handle a wide-variety of materials, print quickly and can fabricate large items up to several feet.

Fab Stores use these printers to create parts for repair and to produce products for [[The Fab Store#Beyond Repairs: A Small-scale Manufacturing Revolution|window shopping]].

While these FDM printers cover most scenarios, the Fab Store Network has even [[The Fab Store#Specialized Parts from High-end 3D Printers|larger and more specialized 3D printers]] for less common needs.

=== CNC Machinery ===

This equipment is primarily for fabricating metal items. Each Fab Shop has CNC mill and lathe machines ready to cut and shape metals into parts customers. Whether the part is a replacement for a broken hinge or going into a window shopping product, these machines are capable of some amazing feats.

Metal 3D printers exist but the equipment and the parts it produces are not cost-effective today. They often require CNC machining after printing anyway. While it might make sense for the Fab Store Network to have a metal 3D printer for special jobs, CNC machinery suffices for Fab Shops.

=== Other Tooling and Equipment ===

Fab Stores and Fab Shops need other complimentary tools that you might find at a repair cafe or makerspace. Sewing machines, a toolbox of tools, paint and more.

Fab Stores have tools and spare components to do basic, common repairs. Fab Shops have tooling for more advanced repairs, repairs requiring fabrication and for building entire products.

==Beyond Repairs: A Small-scale Manufacturing Revolution==

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 You can't buy a new hinge. I wouldn't know how to install the hinge even if I had one.
-In cases like this, I can't find a practical solution to repairing my item instead of replacing it.
+I can't find a practical solution to repairing my item instead of replacing it in cases like these.
 [[File:Tea Kettle- Broken then Fixed.jpg|alt=Before and after shot of an electric tea kettle lid hinge. The before image shows a rusty, cracked hinge. The after shot shows it repaired and looking brand new.|thumb|A repair cafe's inability to fix a tea kettle with a broken hinge served as an inspiration for the Fab Store.]]
@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 *'''Retail storefronts''' Convenient, neighborhood Fab Store locations serve customers where they live- anywhere you might find a 7-Eleven. The retail stores diagnose problems and make common, minor repairs. They also sell unique products, [[The Fab Store#Beyond Repairs: A Small-scale Manufacturing Revolution|manufactured in small quantities]] on Fab Store equipment, in search of the next Rubik's Cube or Hula Hoop.
-*'''Fab Shops''' Fixing and fabricating happen here! You'll find a 3D Scanner, 3D printer, CNC machinery and makers. One Fab Shop serves many Fab Stores in the same city.
+*'''Fab Shops''' Fixing and fabricating happen here! You'll find a 3D Scanner, 3D printer, CNC machinery and makers. These are located in light-industrial zoned areas by necessity. One Fab Shop serves many Fab Stores in the same city.
 Let's look into what goes into Fab Stores and Fab Shops.
+=== People ===
+All the equipment available to Fab Stores means nothing without talented people to operate it. Fixers and makers are crucial to a Fab Store's success.
+A fixer can take any broken items, assess it and, if possible, repair it. A fixer must be able to repair anything from small appliances to garments. Volunteers at repair cafes are a great place to scout these talents- turn their volunteer efforts into a day job.
+Makers know how to operate the equipment. They are great with CAD software. They know 3D printing technology and would jump at the chance to work on these large-scale printers and modern CNC machinery. Makerspaces are a great place to find makers.
+=== 3D Scanner ===
+The first step to fabricating a new copy of a broken part is scanning the original part. This gives us the shape and dimensions of the object we're going to produce. The result of the scan appears in the software used to build the new part. If the part that is broken, it is repaired in software before fabrication.
+=== 3D Printer ===
+Make items not made of metal with the FDM 3D printer, found at the Fab Shop. It prints mostly plastics of various kinds, though it can also use rubber/silicone-like material, carbon fiber and nylon in its creations.
+These are professional-grade printers that handle a wide-variety of materials, print quickly and can fabricate large items up to several feet.
+Fab Stores use these printers to create parts for repair and to produce products for [[The Fab Store#Beyond Repairs: A Small-scale Manufacturing Revolution|window shopping]].
+While these FDM printers cover most scenarios, the Fab Store Network has even [[The Fab Store#Specialized Parts from High-end 3D Printers|larger and more specialized 3D printers]] for less common needs.
+=== CNC Machinery ===
+This equipment is primarily for fabricating metal items. Each Fab Shop has CNC mill and lathe machines ready to cut and shape metals into parts customers. Whether the part is a replacement for a broken hinge or going into a window shopping product, these machines are capable of some amazing feats.
+Metal 3D printers exist but the equipment and the parts it produces are not cost-effective today. They often require CNC machining after printing anyway. While it might make sense for the Fab Store Network to have a metal 3D printer for special jobs, CNC machinery suffices for Fab Shops.
+=== Other Tooling and Equipment ===
+Fab Stores and Fab Shops need other complimentary tools that you might find at a repair cafe or makerspace. Sewing machines, a toolbox of tools, paint and more.
+Fab Stores have tools and spare components to do basic, common repairs. Fab Shops have tooling for more advanced repairs, repairs requiring fabrication and for building entire products.
 ==Beyond Repairs: A Small-scale Manufacturing Revolution==