What Is a Makerspace?
Makerspace is a collaborative workspace in schools, libraries, or independent public/private facilities for making, learning, exploration, and sharing, using high-tech or non-tech tools. These spaces are open to children, adults, and entrepreneurs and have a variety of manufacturers' equipment, including 3D printers, laser cutting machines, CNC machines, soldering irons, and even sewing machines.
However, a makerspace does not need to contain all of these machines or even treat any of them as a makerspace. If you have cardboard, Lego blocks, and art supplies, you are in business.
If you are interested in learning more about laser cutting tools, you can see people like Monport laser. They can provide different types of lasers for household to industrial use. If you also want to build your own makerspace at home, it may be worth a visit. What is more is the mentality of the creator, that is, creating something out of nothing and exploring your own interests, which is the core of maker space.
These spaces also help prepare those who need key skills in the fields of science, technology, engineering and Mathematics (stem) in the 21st century. They provide hands-on learning, help develop critical thinking skills, and even enhance self-confidence. Some of the skills learned in makerspace involve electronics, 3D printing, 3D modeling, coding, robotics and even carpentry. Makerspace is also cultivating entrepreneurship and is used as an incubator and accelerator for start-ups. So far, makerspace has had some amazing success stories.
What’s in a Makerspace?
One of the best aspects of maker space is a variety of CNC tools, such as milling machines, routers, 3D printers, and laser cutting machines. Traditionally, these precision machines have been used for large-scale manufacturing operations, but the manufacturer's space allows anyone to use them.
In recent years, with the sharp decline in the cost of these machines, maker space is becoming a popular and profitable enterprise, spreading opportunities to the whole community.
Another shocking aspect of this space is the type of people it attracts. Everyone who tries to enter the maker space is motivated, ambitious and visionary about the goals they want to achieve. Whether your medium is wood, metal, plastic, paper or fabric, Fab labs and makerspace make it easy for you to turn these everyday materials into something special. Although Fab labs and manufacturer space cannot compete in large-scale production (in terms of cost-effectiveness), they have great advantages in providing means of small-scale production. This is ideal for those who cannot afford to produce their products and projects on a large scale.
Why a Laser Cutter Is The Most Popular Tool in a Makerspace?
Due to their futuristic nature, 3D printers often receive a lot of attention when talking about the types of devices in maker space. However, they are more expensive and slower, and users need more extensive training than using laser engraving machines.
Laser cutting machine is usually the most popular machine in any makerspace or fab lab. This is because makers can use them to create projects that are currently experiencing high demand and growth. Read on to discover what makes them so popular with your creative partners.
Precision
As you can imagine, the laser cutting machine is very accurate. If you know the type of material to be used, laser cutting is one of the cleanest and most accurate methods to make various products. For example, acrylic acid is beautifully cut - but a small number of plastics are incompatible with this type of machine. Similarly, most wood has a perfect finish on laser cutting machines, but some mixed materials such as cork don't work.
Compatibility with many materials
In other words, most of the materials that people use to make products are compatible with lasers. Makers are amazing because they serve such a diverse range of customers - almost everyone with creative motivation. It is not just hungry business owners and start-ups who can use these services. Any enterprise or organization can use laser cutting machine to raise its brand to a new level.
Easy to use
Laser cutting and engraving machines can be used by anyone with any skill level, and you don't need to be a technical genius to learn it. You can use economical materials and cut very fast, so it is the most efficient machine of its kind. It is a programmable device that uses powerful lasers to cut or etch surfaces of various materials.
Even the software you use to create laser cutter designs is relatively easy to use. AutoCAD, CorelDRAW, Inkscape, and Adobe Illustrator are popular programs. All you need to do to create a 2D digital file is draw connected arcs, lines and curves with the mouse.
Speed
Laser cutters are very fast. Incredibly fast. In fact, depending on the size of the project, you can cut a prototype with a laser in a few minutes. In just a few minutes, you can add an engraver to your project.
Cultivate "Design Thinking"
From a director of makerspace: "The laser engraving machine can easily become the most used tool in our inventory. Whether it's making simple engraving or cutting complex components with wood or acrylic acid, our members like a laser. It's widely used, easy to access, and brings fast results to users. Our laser course is now a prerequisite for our CNC course. The laser gives students the opportunity to develop "design thinking". It helps to teach the understanding of the X, Y, and Z axes without learning complex operating systems such as CNC routers. The variety of materials it can cut and engrave is amazing. We use it to make trophies for after-school students, summer camps, and robot competitions. ".
Laser cutters help makers start small businesses
People who want to produce products from scratch find that laser cutting is a good subject. There are many choices about what to do, so people can find what they are interested in. It's always better to make something you're interested in, but more importantly, you have to study the target audience, not just act according to your own opinions. Some products and industries popular with maker space enthusiasts include:
- Jewellery
Laser engraving machines or optical fiber marking machines are particularly suitable for making custom jewelry, including necklaces, bracelets, rings, and even small handbags and backpacks. Imagine that the laser engraving machine can easily add the customer's name, signature or logo to the design of jewelry works. Customized jewelry labels add a unique temperature to your goods. Customized jewelry series is one of the most potential markets at present. Customers prefer private customized bracelets, necklaces, cuffs and brooches!
- Collar
Dog collars, cat collars and even human collars are great choices for laser cutting machines. Whether you make collars or just personalized labels, people love their pets and are happy to buy cute custom accessories for their fur babies.
- Decorative Boxes
Trinket boxes, music boxes, jewelry boxes and ordinary storage boxes all provide great opportunities for creative people with laser cutting machines. Personalized gifts may be the industry that uses this technology most, and the potential to make money is high. Not many people like to give mass-produced gifts, so smart entrepreneurs can easily sneak into the market.
- Trinkets
People need to use all kinds of trinkets, and they also like to update them regularly. Therefore, there is no shortage of demand for key chains, coasters, bottle openers, baby mobile phones and other items.
- Greeting Cards and Invitations
Weddings, birthdays and year-round celebrations are taking place. On these special occasions, people hold various celebrations, which usually includes elaborate invitations and greeting cards. You can easily enter this market by using a laser engraving and cutting machine in a makerspace.
What can we do with a laser cutter in your makerspace?
We think almost everyone in maker space can use laser cutting machine! They have many uses and are very easy to use; You can save a lot of money by outsourcing small jobs. It also provides you with greater creative control and, more importantly, strict control over the lead time and budget. Some leading industries that can benefit from laser engraving tools include:
Schools: Schools often have a variety of laser cutting uses because of brands, uniforms, trophies and medals for sporting events and achievements.
Sports teams: Sports teams need branded clothing, trophies and medals, as well as materials used during training. The laser cutting machine in the manufacturer's space is a great place to test whether you can do some work in-house rather than outsourcing.
Office: The office is more and more aware of the power of brand. Branded stationery is a great addition to any office, but outsourcing costs are high.
Restaurants: Restaurants have many opportunities to customize pottery and glassware, but they usually spend a lot of money. Breweries: similarly, breweries can also make coasters and schooners, and engrave their own brand logo on the bottle opener.
Laboratory: In order to attract the next generation of great thinkers, there is an important instruction to make science easier to understand and interesting. Laboratories can create the brand merch to promote the excellent work they do for people.
Final Thoughts
Young people need to express themselves and feel that they will win at some time. The greatness of art is that there is no right or wrong answer. It's all about getting better and creating something to be proud of. Invention is the perfect way to understand that success is usually the result of a series of mistakes and failures. We can learn from the experience of improvement, rather than feel ashamed and limit our future learning. Maker space is a place to improve our creativity and practical ability.
People who operate maker space can make a lot of money and provide a hub to help their community prosper and develop. The operator can charge by offering membership, open seminars and one-time daily passes. Talk to local entrepreneurs about the community's needs for social media machines. Include digital and manual devices to attract a wide audience and encourage diverse interactions among entrepreneurs, amateurs and creators!
What can you do with laser engravers/cutters for your current or upcoming makerspace? Check out Monport's official website or our youtube channel - we've shown a lot of videos of laser engraving objects, so you can see for yourself how incredible new functions Monport machine will bring to your organization!