Digital Fabrication Studio

Winter 2025 Hours:

The DigiFab studio is open!

Regular Hours:

(Note: Sunday Hours have changed from last semester due to monitor availability)

Mon-Fri: 9am - 4:30pm

Sat: Closed

Sun: 10am-4pm

Please note that we are short on work-studies and closures may happen when no one is available. We will post to canvas when closures happen. If you have an appointment during a closure, we ask that you to reschedule as soon as possible.

*Digifab closes for the semester at 5pm on May 1st.

Digifab will not accept any more 3D print submissions for the semester after 12pm on Thursday, April 24th.

Location and Equipment

Our digital fabrication equipment is in rooms 1070, 1071, 1074, and 1075B. The Digital Fabrication Studio is available to all eligible Stamps users. You’ll turn to these studios for 3D printing, CNC milling/routing, vinyl cutting, laser cutting, and digital embroidery.

Equipment includes:

1 Bambu X1-Carbon and 3 Bambu X1E FDM 3D Printers
These can print larger-scale parts in various materials sold in spools of filament. Bring your spool.
1x Form2, 1x Form3, and 1x Form3L Formlabs SLA 3D Printers
These can be printed in very high resolution in various materials that approximate end product materials for prototyping (they will break down over time with exposure to UV light). Pay by the mL used for your print based on material cost. Check before printing.
Fuse1 SLS 3D Printer
This can print almost as high resolution as the SLA printers, but print only in Nylon 12. Unlike resin, it is an end-product material. The added benefit of this printer is that due to the way it prints, it does not need to create supports for the print, so you won't have to cut off lattices at the end.
Roland GX-400 Vinyl Cutter
Cuts vinyl stickers for various purposes, including exhibition design, heat press vinyl on fabrics, architectural solid color designs, etc.
Small Heat Press
A tool used for pressing heat-press vinyl onto fabric.
ILS 12.15 Universal Laser Cutter
Has a cut area of 24” x 48” and a max cut depth of .25” and can cut and/or engrave in a wide variety of materials.
PLS 6.75 Laser Cutter
Has a cut area of 18” x 32” and a max cut depth of .25” and can cut and/or engrave in a wide variety of materials. Has a rotary attachment for engraving on cylindrical stock.
Barudan Digital Embroidery Machine
With this, we can create embroidery designs in up to 15 colors by inputting a digital vector file and choosing our stitches and colors.
Shopbot PRSalpha CNC Router
Has a cut area of 48” x 96” and can cut and/or engrave in a wide variety of materials. Max Z movement = 6”, Max cut depth depends upon the angle of model geometry to the length of bit extending from the tool holder.
Roland MDX-540A CNC Milling Machine
Has a 3-axis cut area of 12” x 18” and can cut and/or engrave in various materials. Max Z movement = 6”, and max cut depth depends upon the angle of model geometry to the length of the bit extending from the tool holder. For 3-axis cuts, you should have enough scrap underneath your material to lift it 3 inches off the table so that the bit can reach through. The spoil material should be the same scale in x and y as your model material to make clamping possible and avoid bending your material with the clamps. For 4th-axis cuts, you should drill a 3/16” hole 1/4” deep in the center of one end of your material so that the live center in the clamp can hold it. You must have your material and scrap “spoil” material ready at the time of cut.
Panel Saw
This is for cutting down large wood and MDF sheet stock for the CNC machines.
Electric Soldering Table
Space for electrical soldering for circuit boards and other projects.
Mayku Vacuum Forming Machine
A small vacuum-forming machine is used to make molds or packaging around a positive that you want to duplicate or encase.

Some proficiencies are required along with a signed form to use these tools, but can only by used with staff supervision:

- Embroidery Machine

Some machines can only be operated directly by staff, but requested by you, the student:

- CNC Machine
- Panel Saw
- Bambu Filament Printers
- Fuse 1
- Form2
- Form3L

Contact:

Digifab Email: stamps-rp@umich.edu (fastest response for questions and inquires)

Phone: 734-764-6445 - We are often not near the phone so you may have to leave a message.

Studio Coordinator:

Mike Vitale Links to an external site., mpvitale@umich.edu

Policies:

Digital Fabrication Policy Guide.pdf Download Digital Fabrication Policy Guide.pdf

Please make sure to follow all of the Stamps Safe Studio Guidelines Links to an external site. while you are using the space.

Faculty Resources & Policies

All faculty and staff in this area must complete the relevant EHS training modules Links to an external site. for this studio. If you're unsure which are required, contact the studio coordinator. Please screenshot the page showing that training was completed and send it to the studio coordinator.

Scheduling Resources in the DigiFab Studio.pdf Download Scheduling Resources in the DigiFab Studio.pdf

Faculty Reference for Orienting your Classes to Machines in Digifab Download Faculty Reference for Orienting your Classes to Machines in Digifab

Access & Scheduling

All equipment in the Digital Fabrication Studio may be reserved by currently enrolled Stamps students, faculty, and staff with a signed ECHO Borrower Agreement Form Links to an external site. on file. Failure to follow the policies listed below may result in the permanent loss of studio access and other penalties as necessary.

Equipment in the space must be reserved via the Digital Fabrication Studio Monitors/ Studio Coordinator or the Digi-Fab Studio Signup Form Links to an external site. and WebCheckout Form Links to an external site. (watch the Web Checkout Tutorial Links to an external site. for help scheduling). Both forms must be completed before equipment use. Students can reserve any machine they’ve had a demo on. If they have not had a demo, they may set up a time with the studio coordinator or the studio monitors to orient them to the machine they desire to use. All files must be in a complete state, ready for the machines requested when submitted. We are unable to fix your files for you.

At Your Appointment

Please make sure you show up on time with your materials and your file ready to go. If you are over 15 minutes late without notifying us your appointment will be canceled. If you need help on your file, please come to DigiFab before your appointment to get help.

When you arrive, you must first check-in with the workstudy. They can usually be found in room 1074 at the table with by the glass display case. But if not, ask in the room who is the workstudy. If they are not in the room, the dry erase board on the table should point you to where you can find them.

Before you leave, please check in with the workstudy again.

Please follow the links below for processes for using the following tools:

Laser Cutting & Vinyl Cutting

3D Printing

Embroidery Machine

CNC Machine

Materials

Before purchasing any materials to be used in DigiFab, please check with Mike or a workstudy first so that we can make sure it works for the process and function that you want it for. Some materials may not work on our machines and some sources' materials aren't flat enough to work on our machines. It is best to get this confirmation rather than taking a chance at wasting money and time on something that wont work. You can also look at the DigiFab materials sources list provided here: Material Sources-Digifab.pdf Download Material Sources-Digifab.pdf

Guides

PDF Guides are available for the machines you can use in Digifab: BambuSetup Links to an external site. FormlabsGuide.pdf Download FormlabsGuide.pdf LaserGuide.pdf Download LaserGuide.pdf VinylCutter.pdf Download VinylCutter.pdf

Formlabs 3D Printers' Official Design Guides: Fuse1 Links to an external site. Form2 Links to an external site. Form3 Links to an external site.