Category Archives: NOVA Makers

3D Printing, Design Thinking, Fab Lab, Fabrication, Laser Cutting, Makerspace, Making, NOVA Fab Lab, NOVA Makers

Fab Lab This Month

Fab Lab Events For July

NOVA Makers

NOVA Makers is a special program at the NOVA Fab Lab in which members can utilize advanced fabrication equipment to work on personal and class projects.

Members have access to 3D printers, laser cutters and engravers, a UV flatbed printer, a large format printer/cutter, and a plastic thermoforming center (soldering stations and sewing machines certifications will be available in Fall 2022). Safety and machine trainings are provided along with the issuance of digital micro-credentials as certifications are completed.

Membership is initiated upon completion of a Safety & Orientation session and is ONLY open to high school students, NOVA students, and NOVA faculty/staff. More details on this program can be found in the Membership Handbook.

Register for sessions at fablab.novastem.us/Sign-up

Summer Schedule: June 28 through August 4

Safety & Orientation

Tuesdays | 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Thursdays |9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Machine Certification

Tuesdays | 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Thursdays |11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Member Open Labs

Tuesdays | 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Wednesdays | 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Thursdays | 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.

3D Printing, CNC Routing, Design Thinking, Makerspace, Making, NOVA Fab Lab, NOVA Makers

Fab Lab Activities in November

Sign Up For Our November Workshops!

Sewing Machine 101
Do you want to learn how to use a sewing machine? We can teach you how! Bring your sewing machine or learn on one of ours. In this workshop, we will show you how to use a sewing machine from winding a bobbin, to threading your machine, to sewing your first project – a drawstring bag. You’ll leave feeling confident that you can sew on your own!
Mon 11/15: 6:00-8:30 pm
Click HERE for more info and to register.

STEMinars

Dominating our Design Challenge Series
College students, high school and middle school students from all academic disciplines and backgrounds are encouraged to enter the Fab Lab Design Challenge that will be released in February 2022.  The Challenge is sponsored by our industry partner, BAE Systems, and all sessions are offered free of charge.  Although the challenge’s mission is to inspire innovation in fabrication, we want those with great ideas to participate, regardless if they have little to no experience on these topics.  To support applicants, we are offering the following prep session:

Dominating our Design Challenge: Using Design Thinking
This virtual session will explain the five steps of Design Thinking to provide participants with a repeatable process for moving an idea to a functioning solution. The session will include examples of Design Thinking best practices, virtual team exercises in brainstorming, and a reference guide.  Free and virtual format via Zoom.  Two session choices:
Mon 11/29: 6-8pm (Click HERE for more info)
Thurs 12/9: 6-8pm (Click HERE for more info)

Dominating our Design Challenge: Learning the Tools
Whether it is turning a digital design into a 2D, 2.5D or a 3D model, or building a physical model from scratch, this in-person session will focus on four common fabrication technologies (laser cutting, additive manufacturing-3D printing, CNC routing, & plastic thermoforming) that can be used to bring your idea into physical space.  This session focuses on the strengths and weaknesses of each of these different processes and how they can be used in rapid prototyping.  Participants will be able to see equipment demonstrations of how each process works.  Free and in-person at the NOVA Fab Lab (Manassas campus).
Mon, 12/6: 6-8pm (Click HERE for more info)
Thurs 12/16: 6-8pm (Click HERE for more info)

NOVA Makers
NOVA Makers is a program at the NOVA Fab Lab in which members can use the lab to work on personal projects, participate in regional/national design challenges, and/or gain more skills in a Maker community setting. Currently the technologies available for projects are additive manufacturing (3D printing), laser cutting/engraving, and hand tools.  A NOVA Fab Lab membership, a safety and orientation training, and machine specific certifications are provided and required as part of this program.  Membership is open to NOVA college students, faculty & staff, and high school students.  Find more information at www.nvcc.edu/systemic/fablab.html