Prototyping network

You can find here all the information you need to prototype at EPFL.
What are the different workshops ? Who are the coaches? How can you access the workshops ? What are the equipments?

There is a lot of workshops at EPFL to help you in prototyping your project, the video up here gives you a first overview.

First of all, there are three different types of physical spaces depending on the level of danger: 

1. Free Access
   • Accessible from 8am to 11:30pm after an online training
   • You can do ideation, meetings, computer assisted design, assembling parts, access basic tools such as a screwdriver.
   • You pay for consumables only
2. Under supervision areas
   
   • Accessible under supervision at given times (office hours usually) after a specific training on the equipment (and for safety) by a coach
   • You can access more advanced tools: drills, laser cutters, CNC, 3D printers, pick and place stations, welding stations.
   • You pay for consumables only
3. Subcontractors
   • Machines not accessible for students, you can subcontract machining to a professional
   • You can benefit from professional expertise and professional equipments to develop more complexe parts
   • You pay for services and consummables

Free Access

To access “free access areas” you need to follow and complete these steps

Please note that the spot is open from 8am to 7pm during semester, Monday to Friday. You can come to ask your question even if you did not follow the process here under

1. Do this training online, if your project is not in the list of projects, please ask the supervisor of the project to contact Julien Delisle
2. As mention in the online training above, you also need to do this safety training on moodle (General safety and DLL prototyping with the quizz at the end)
3. Once step 1 and 2 are done – the supervisor of your project will be notified and will have to validate you as a student in the project
4. Wait 24h to have the camipro access to the following resources:
   • Access the envelop of the SPOT building at night (between 7pm to 11.30 pm) during the week days (on the weekends only for MAKE projects)
   • Access the basic storage area – stock 1 DLLEL -1 54
   • (Only for MAKE projects) – Access the computer rooms and specific softwares – ELH 112
   • (Only for MAKE projects)- Access the meeting rooms – DLLEL 1 10, 12 and 14
   • (Only for some MAKE projects) – Access the area to store bigger prototypes – stock 3 DLLEL -1 54

These resources are already allowing you to make progress at the beginning of your project. For more advanced equipment, see the “under supervision” areas here under

Physical space with “free access” areas ?

1 The SPOT

Under supervision

To access “under supervision” workshop you need to follow these steps:

1. Complete the same training as for the free access areas (online, see above),
2. You also need to take an appointment with a coach for a specific training in the workshop you want to access (physically) to learn how to use more advanced equipments. 
3. The coache will grant you access when you know how to use the equipment

What are the under supervision workshops ?

1 The SPOT

• Mechanical workshop with – lath, driling machines, small CNC for metal, welding TIG/MIG, sewing machine, laser cutting for metal/plastic and wood – Write to Ivan Tomic or Norbert Crot to take an appointment or come at the SPOT during office hours
• Electronics workshop  with soldering stations and pick and place equipment – Write to Sylvain Hauser to take an appointment or come at the SPOT during office hours
• 3D printing room  with filament and resines – Write to Sebastien Martinerie to take an appointment or come at the SPOT during office hours

2 The SKIL
To get access to the SKIL (which is an undersupervision workshop by itself), you need to complete a security tour with one of the coach there to be able to use tools such as a CNC for wood, laser cutting machine plus some specific trainings for other machines (you can register on the SKIL’s website). In the SKIL you’ll find (among others) competencies for general prototyping and for wood structure/composite materials

Subcontractors 

What are the professional workshops?

For more advanced workshops to produce more complexe parts, please take a look at the following workshops (but please come first at the SPOT and SKIL to try your idea before contacting one of these advanced workshops!)

1 ATME (Workshop of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering)

2 ATMX (Workshop of the Institute of Materials)

3 ACI (Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing Workshop)

4 ATPR (Workshop of the Institute of micro-technic for Production of Robotic parts)

5 AFA (Additive Manufacturing Workshop)

We are working on a dynamic database to find equipments, for now you go on our notion to have a look to a first database here (under construction)