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Frequently Asked Questions

Who has access to the Design + Technology LAB?

At this moment the Design + Technology Lab is only available to students, staff, and faculty of The Creative School (opens in new window) .

Can I come in and take a look around?

For safety reasons our shop is not open to drop-in visits outside of Open LAB hours.

What is the Service Bureau?

The Service Bureau is the LAB's in-house 3D printing and laser cutting hub for students, staff, and faculty of The Creative School. Learn more here (opens in new window) .

I am a student of The Creative School with a project idea, but I don’t know where to start...

Come to Open LAB! Open LAB is your chance to access the LAB space, equipment and staff expertise. We can talk through your ideas, assess the best path forward and offer training on LAB tools.

Open LAB runs weekly during the Fall and Winter semesters.

 

How can I 3D print or laser cut if I am not eligible to access the LAB?

We encourage Toronto Metropolitan University community members who do not fit our access criteria to explore the many different labs and maker spaces across campus. Ask your department or faculty what facilities they have available for you to access. Here are a list of a few:

Additionally, there are many external 3D printing and laser cutting spaces across the city such as HotPop Factory (external link, opens in new window)  or the Maker Bean Cafe (external link, opens in new window) . You can also 3D print through services at the Toronto Public Library (external link, opens in new window) .

I am a student of The Creative School and I want to learn to use the equipment in your lab. How do I do that?

  • Students interested in better understanding how to work with laser cutters and 3D printers for the purpose of submitting files through our service bureau can access our online resources here.
  • For in-person learning, there are many classes within the Creative School that have curricular activities in collaboration with the lab. These offer access to our equipment and spaces. Please see what classes in your department offer these opportunities.
  • Get tool training and project support during our Open LAB hours! Learn more here.
  • There are workshops that run periodically in the lab that focus on specific equipment and/or techniques. These are announced through our social media channels (external link)  and events page.
  • Finally, each year we offer a number of grants for students from the Creative School. These provide recipients with opportunity to work hands on with equipment as well as a $500 material budget. See here for more information.

Do you offer funding opportunities?

Students

We organize a yearly Creative School student grant competition in collaboration with the Design Fabrication Zone. Selected students are awarded the opportunity to pursue thier proposed digital fabrication projects in our space with a $500 material budget. Applications open yearly in the Fall. 

Faculty

We offer two $5000 seed grants anually to support faculty SRC activities in the Lab, with emphasis on projects that advance technology use within the creative sector. Projects can include, but are not limited to: AR/VR, 360 videos, flatbed UV printing, robotics, digital fabrication, 3D knitting and textile computing, drones, photogrammetry, 3D scanning, motion tracking/capture, 3D printing, and wearable technology. Learn more here (opens in new window) .

Do you have any resources for Creative School faculty members?

Yes! We have materials that you can incorporate into your curriculum that cover 3D Printing, Laser Cutting, UV Printing, Scanning and editing models in blender. If you think they could be useful to you, please reach out to Alda (opens in new window) .

I am a faculty member in The Creative School and I am looking to have my students use your facilities. How do I do that?

We would love to talk to you about your class and how we can help support your curricular goals. Take a quick read through our  (PDF file) staff guide and submit a project request form so that we can get the ball rolling.