ODESSA, TX (KWES) –
If you can imagine it, you can probably create it in a Fab Lab. The National Fab Foundation along with Chevron U.S.A. Inc. awarded Odessa College a grant to start a Fab Lab at the school.
The lab has 3-D printers and computer controlled laser cutters that make just about anything possible.
From furniture to key chains, you can design it all.
“I couldn’t be doing this if I wasn’t using the Fab Lab because I don’t know how to make this,” said Cedric Bleimling, Director of Fab Lab Permian Basin at Odessa College. “The machine is going to do it perfectly every time.”
Some projects take a few minutes, others take a day to complete, but there is no arguing that with these machines make creation easier.
“The idea is to let people in and train them as much as we can to let them create whatever they need to create,” said Bleimling.
“Focus on experiential learning, kids working in groups to solve a problem. We know that that is the direction that education is heading. We have already seen results from that,” said Sarah Hughes, Public Affairs Representative with Chevron.
Odessa College’s Fab Lab is the only one of its kind in West Texas. There are about 1,000 worldwide.
“This is a revolution because you weren’t able to create such good products on your own. You had to go through a factory. You had to have a lot of money and now you can actually do it yourself,” said Bleimling.
