features > design & technology
Page 20
Fab
Lab
Devon
Devon County Council and KEVICC have
been working on the Devon Fab Lab
project for the last 18 months, with the
aim of creating an environment and
network where community members,
companies, students and artists can
access equipment such as 3D printers,
laser cutters, CNC plasma cutters, 3D
scanners, sublimation systems, comput-
er-aided design software and practical
workshop areas.
The Exeter Fab Lab base will be based in
the new £4.2 million revamped Exeter
Library. The KEVICC Fab Lab/Maker Space
Centre will act as a satellite facility that
ensures the same quality of provision
can be accessed in the rural South Devon
area.
One day a week of staffing will be given
over to the Totnes site, enabling twilight
training sessions, weekend workshops
and personalized support with project
development for the local communi-
ty, and work with other educational
establishments.
KEVICC was chosen because of its estab-
lished excellence in Design & Technology
in relation to electronic manufacturing
and innovative approaches to product
development.
In conjunction with the Fab Lab project,
we are becoming involved in the Maker
Space scheme promoted by the Royal
Society of Arts in the South West. This
offers community members or organ-
izations the chance to hire facilities to
develop their product concepts without
having to establish workshops them-
selves in the initial stages.
This Autumn, a group of GCSE Graphic Products students will be working in collaboration with Paign-
ton Zoo's graphics team to develop the information displays, signage and imagery related to the
Reptile House. Students will undertake site visits and assessments; have meetings with the zoo's
graphic's team and pitch their solutions to the zoo's team management.
Several year 13 Product Design students will be developing exhibits based around the expanded
conservation work that zoological parks now have to embrace in relation to the native species on
their site as well as the exotic animals.
With a desire to improve visitor awareness of the integrated nature of eco-systems, two students are
looking at developing exhibits that relate to the native honey bee population, and another bumble
bees. This work will involve them developing designs that are accessible to all and inform readers of
the importance of conservation and the precarious nature of some of their links.
A team of four year 7 girls, Charlotte Puddicombe, Menna Shore, Lucy Mc-
Murray and Mia Poore, has just won the Engineering Award for the south
west region at Exeter University, at the STEM (Science Technology Engi-
neering and Maths) 'Big Bang' exhibition. The four students were praised for
their use of 3D printing, mould making, chocolate manufacture, packaging,
branding and presentations. Their chocolate concept is based and evolved
from the famous London Under-
ground logo. The flavours of the
different bars in the range relate
to the colours of the London
Underground map, designed
by Harry Beck. For example,
white chocolate and blueberry
linking with the Piccadilly Line,
and milk chocolate and caramel
with the Bakerloo line. Several
of the STEM judges at the event
suggested that the team ap-
proach the London Underground
Company to develop their product further as it is so commercially viable.
The plan is to retail the chocolate on the underground system at various
station shops and booths, tapping in to the thousands of passing customers
that travel everyday on the network. There are already plans to support the
students with business mentors and to approach larger scale production
companies so that they can pilot the launch of the brand and product.
Big Bang
Underground
!
