Welcome to the Three Lakes Fab Lab!

The Fab Lab is open to the community on Tuesdays from 6-9 pm. During this time, staff will be on hand to assist with projects. Bring your best and brightest ideas and see what the Fab Lab is all about.

FAQs

 When did Three Lakes Fab Lab open?
The official ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Sept. 17, 2014. 

How did Three Lakes School District fund the Fab Lab?
The total project cost about $325,000. We secured a Department of Workforce Development grant of $132,000, and then used operating capital to fund the remainder of the project.

Has our lab had any additions since it opened?
Yes. Using a combination of grants and district funds, the district has continued to update and expand Fab Lab equipment and capabilities. 

Which grades use our lab?
The Three Lakes Fab Lab is a K-12 facility. Some of our elementary students have created simple, introductory projects such as laser-cut snowflakes to supplement classroom curriculum. Our junior high goes through an introductory block course in the lab, and then our high school students dig deep into the engineering process and create everything from board games to display cases to prototype septic truck hose filter screens.

Which high school classes tend to use our lab?
Our Engineering and Design class is lab-focused, while our CNC class takes a deep dive into the CNC plasma cutter, router and mill. However, even our art classes spend time making. Courses from tech ed to business education use lab resources to achieve learning objectives. The Fab Lab is constantly being integrated across our curriculum.

When is the Fab Lab open to the public?
Our community is welcome to use the Three Lakes Fab Lab during open hours. The lab is staffed and open to the public on Tuesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. The lab will close at 7:30 pm if no one comes on a given night.

Which software is used in our lab?
We primarily use Adobe Creative Cloud, Autodesk Fusion360 and Vectric Aspire.

What about hardware?
Three Lakes Fab Lab hardware includes: Epilog laser engravers, Ultimaker 3D printer, FormLabs 3D printers, Prusa 3D printers, Roland vinyl cutter, Tormach xsTech benchtop cutter, ezRouter, ezPlasma, Roland printer/cutter, Tormach CNC mill.