Fabrication And Prototyping

Part of the Faculty of Design, the Material Innovation Centre offers a designated space for students to access and learn about unique materials used for diverse art and design projects. Student monitors and/or faculty are on site and can assist with materials, equipment and database searches. In addition to physical materials housed for reference, students can access an online materials catalogue offering material recommendations and advice. The Centre's equipment includes:

- colour test machines
- microscopes
- cutting boards and grids
- smart boards

Tool Loans is a free resource for any current staff, student, or faculty member wishing to loan tools on a short term basis. We supply tools ranging from sewing machines and mannequins, to power tools, hand tools, lighting equipment, paint and patch kits, and more.

The Store also sells supplies materials including plywood, sheet plastics, fabric yardage and textile notions, sheet metal, drafting equipment, stationary supplies, and more!

Our studio has all the equipment and materials you need for lost-wax casting, including:

- bronze, aluminum, micro-crystalline waxes and ceramic shell moulding materials.
- stationary equipment like sanders, band saws, sand blasters, tig welders, wax melters and grinding wheels.
- portable equipment including angle grinders, pneumatic tools, drills, chisels and wax working tools.

Our shop has all the materials and equipment you need for metal fabrication, including:

- hot and cold bending, tube bending.
- cutting (abrasive saw, cold saw, band saw, plasma cutter, oxy/acetylene).
- sand blasting and surface finishing.
- welding (tig, mig, stick, spot, oxy/acetylene).
- machining and drilling;
- and you can buy all the materials you need in-shop (plate and sheet steel, angle iron, bar and tube)

Our shop has all the equipment and materials you need for plastic fabrication:

- cutting (table saw, band saws liquid cooled and dry cut, chop saw)
- abrasive shaping (dry and wet belt sanding, spindle sanding)
- machining (milling machine, lathes, drill press, routing)
- vacuum forming, heat forming and bending
- buffing/polishing and casting (acrylic, resins and liquid plastics);
- and you can buy materials directly in our shop (sheet materials, casting and rod/bar)

Our shop has all the materials and equipment you need for wood construction:

- major stationary and portable power equipment
- heavy tables for organizing projects and clamping
- saws (band, scroll, table), jointers, planners, sanders (spindle and disc/belt) and drill presses
- portable equipment like routers, jig saws, biscuit joiners, die grinders, drills, hand tools, etc.;
- and you can buy materials including lumber and plywood in shop

Our shop has all the materials and equipment you need to make 3D objects like piece moulds, flexible rubber moulds, lifecasting, armature building and direct modelling:

- marble bench tops, clay slab rollers, vacuum pumps, balance and electronic scales
- hand tools like chisels, scrapers and modelling tools;
- and you can buy materials like plasters, gypsums and cement in studio
- silicones, alginates, latex and rubber mouldmaking materials are also available.

We offer you access to digital fabrication services at accessible prices!  Our technical staff can help you with file manipulation, post-processing and finishing suggestions for your project! We offer lots of services like:

- FDM 3D printing, SLA 3D printing and SLS 3D printing
- laser cutting and engraving
- CNC milling, 3D scanning and waterjet cutting

Our studio has all the equipment and materials you need for experimental fabrication, including:

- digital equipment like laser cutters, 3D printers and CNCs
- stationary power tools like drill presses, router tables, sanders and saws
- hand tools and hand power tools
- physical and digital computing equipment

Our prototyping and model-making shop has all the materials and equipment you need to create working prototypes and presentation models using lots of tools and techniques:

- large power tools including table saws, milling machines, sanders (belt, disc and band), drill presses, saws (band, miter, scroll), wood lathes, polishing wheels, grinders, foam cutters, router tables, and compressed air and pneumatic tools (die grinder, orbital sander)
- a spray booth, vacuum-forming machine, plastic sheet bender and electric hand tools;
- and you can buy materials in our shop (plastic, plywood, sheet materials and insulation foam)