Aachen Maker Meetup #164: 15 Years of FabLab Celebration

This month's Maker Meetup marked a special occasion—the 15th anniversary of the FabLab. The event was packed with innovative projects, technical insights, and a celebration of creative ingenuity.

Jan's Projects:
Jan presented a strobe light system that creates an animated display of rectangles.

Additionally, he showcased a star-shaped structure featuring mirrors and LEDs, demonstrating the interplay of light and reflection for visually stunning effects.

Levin's Projects:
Levin showed his optical tracking system using retroreflective markers to build a VR controller. This project highlighted the potential for DIY solutions in advanced motion tracking and virtual reality applications.

Andreas' Projects:
Andreas shared his homemade programmable blocks, designed for easy programming and educational purposes. These blocks, created using laser cutting and printing, are compatible with JavaScript and Python. In collaboration with Stella, the system is intended to control a small vehicle, offering a hands-on learning experience for programming enthusiasts.

Martin's Projects:
Martin showcased a diverse range of projects, including:

• A self-built soldering aid for precise electronic work.
• A custom NAS (Network-Attached Storage) system running Proxmox and TrueNAS for efficient data management.
  
• A dexterity game discovered at MakerWorld, which blends fun and fine motor skills training.
  
• A festive gingerbread house designed for inclusion in a holiday package, featuring efficient filament color changes during 3D printing.
  
• A 3D-printed chessboard, inspired by designs from MakerWorld.
  
• The Hydra AMS Pro, an advanced upgrade for the Bambu Lab AMS, enabling better filament handling for multi-material 3D printing with the Bambu Lab X1 and P1.
  

Birgit's Projects:
Birgit demonstrated her artistic and technical skills by creating a two-layer depiction of the Aachen Cathedral. She traced the design herself and printed it onto plexiglass using OpenSCAD. The process involved printing a frame first, inserting the plexiglass, and then printing directly onto it.

She also printed a scaled-down trebuchet, which, despite its reduced size, proved to be impressively powerful.

In addition to her project, Birgit gave a presentation on the Bambu Slicer software, perfectly timed with the FabLab’s acquisition of the Bambu Lab X1E and A1 Mini 3D printers.

The 15-year celebration of the FabLab was a fitting backdrop for the MakerMeetup, underscoring the vibrant community of makers and their boundless creativity. As always, the event at the i10 department of RWTH Aachen University provided a platform for sharing knowledge, inspiring innovation, and fostering collaboration.