I just got back from a remarkable spectacle, Make48 at Fab-Lab Stoughton. -Sponsord by Trek (and Trek went all in!)
Make48 at Fab-Lab Stoughton – Here’s the description from the Make48 website: Make48 is a nationwide, invention-competition docuseries that gives teams a challenge at the start of a two-day event. With just 48 hours, teams must create a prototype, promotional video, sales sheet, and present their idea to a panel of judges. The teams have access to a makerspace and numerous Tool Techs that can make almost anything. Teams receive a hint about the challenge theme, but specific details are revealed at the start of each competition, allowing everyone to have a level playing field and the chance to win.
-Make48 Website
The Virtual Foundry’s Austin Triggs, who also works for Fab-Lab Stoughton, is a Tool Tech at the event. I watched Austin scramble from one workstation to the next while helping the 8 Participating Teams navigate the incredible selection of tools and equipment available at Fab-Lab Stoughton.
This event is so well organized and well produced that I’m still just amazed. There are a long list of corporate sponsors that are participating directly. There were reps and engineers from Trek, Ultimaker, MatterHackers, Lincoln Electric and Cummins. To round out the inventor/entrepreneur experience were advisors, patent attorneys, inventors and entrepreneurs.
Beyond the event itself, I just couldn’t be more impressed with Fab-Lab Stoughton. I’ve visited the fab-lab at a few different points in its development. When I walked through today I saw a complete system that’s on-par with any community college or training center I’ve ever seen. The facility is modern, well equipped, well organized and has the capacity to be a manufacturing facility for just about anything any product one could choose to manufacture. Hosting Make48 at Fab-Lab Stoughton was a great call, a great fit, and just really cool!
In coming months The Virtual Foundry will be working with Fab-Lab Stoughton to implement a complete Metal 3D Printing system. As the Virtual Foundry grows we’re finding greater adoption among youngers users. As the technology has become more refined we find our systems working their way from strictly R&D applications in high-end labs, toward colleges, community colleges and now high-schools.
Bradley Woods, Founder/CEO
The Virtual Foundry, inc.
