Fab Labs (digital fabrication laboratories) have been introduced to the UK by educational charity The Manufacturing Institute, which opened the first Lab in Manchester. Fab Labs bring innovation to the people in a hi-tech community innovation hub. They provide the expertise and equipment needed for almost anyone of any age to design and make almost anything. Fab Labs give everyone - from young children - to entrepreneurs and businesses, the capability to bring their ideas and inventions to life. It’s a proven grass roots approach that directly benefits the economy and the wider community. This local 'boutique manufacturing' approach reverses the traditional top-down approach to technological advancement and is part of the next industrial revolution. The Manufacturing Institute is leading the roll out of Fab Labs across the UK. Businesses and entrepreneurs can opt to protect their product development ideas by paying to use the service in private. This provides a cost effective opportunity to develop and prototype new products. At the heart of Fab Lab Manchester is digital manufacturing technology, combining 2D and 3D design with the latest fabrication technology. Embracing a broad spectrum of methods ranging from CNC machining to 3D printing, it can produce a single unique product from a digital design in a matter of minutes and at a very low cost in comparison to traditional tooling methods. To date, 3,000 small manufacturers, inventors, schools and community groups have used Fab Lab Manchester with a wide range of products having been conceived, developed and prototyped there.
