Fabrication Underground
An innovative foundation featuring industry-grade 3D printing and fabrication equipment.
Welcome to The Fabrication Underground at U-M! Immerse yourself in a dynamic space where innovation comes to life. From concept to creation, we empower the U-M community with the tools and expertise to bring their ideas to fruition.
Walk-in Hours: Mon–Fri, 9AM–6PM (Closed on Weekend)
Staff Support: Mon–Fri, 9AM-6PM
Location: B430 (lower level), Duderstadt Center
Contact: [email protected] | (734) 763-3665
Inside Fabrication Underground
Quick Links
Explore Resources
Explore the Fabrication Underground’s resources for prototyping and hands-on making. From 3D printing and laser cutting to electronics, scanning, and workspace tools, these options support projects of all skill levels.
Ground Connections Fellows are knowledgeable staff who bring diverse skills to the Fabrication Underground space. They are here to:
- Assist you with Fab resources
- Connect you to experts in other DMC spaces
- Provide project consultation
- Introduce you to others with shared interests
3D Printing Service
The Fabrication Underground operates four industry-standard 3D printers to handle a variety of needs: small parts, big parts, full color parts, clear parts, and parts that require variable ‘Shore A Softness’ values. To learn more please see our 3D Printing Service page. To receive a quote, please submit your 3D computer model through our online 3DP Quote Request Form.
3DP-TIPS
Our 3DP-TIPS offers students more ‘hands-on’ with the technology. We offer easy access to entry level, general purpose, and large format 3D printers. To learn more please visit our 3DP-TIPS Page.
3D Printing Club
The 3D Printing Club is a Student Organization which organizes projects, competitions, and collaborative learning workshops to ultimately enhance the knowledge and increase interest in the field of additive manufacturing. If you are a student at the University of Michigan who is interested in 3D printing and working with like minded individuals, this organization is for you!
The Fabrication Underground offers a RevoPoint Miraco Plus handheld 3D scanner.
With the MIRACO Plus Industrial 3D Model & Object Scanner, switch freely between capture modes for total scanning flexibility. Near mode captures intricate details in specific areas or small objects, while Far mode excels at quickly capturing entire objects.
Bike Repair
Located inside the Fabrication Underground is a section where one can work on their bicycles. There is a air pump, bike stand, and many tools at your disposal to your bike. Not sure what’s wrong? We will be working with Wolverine on Wheels to provide training and help in fixing those issues.
PCB Milling
From mills to lathes to industrial grinders, there are many types of CNC machines each with their own unique capabilities. The Fabrication Underground offers access to a Bantam CNC mill for cutting Printed Circuit Boards (PCB).
Tools for Electronics
The Fabrication Underground’s Electronics Workbench is equipped with most of the tools one would need for small scale electronics projects
Multimeter | Oscilloscope | Function Generator | Bench Power Supply | Soldering Station | Solder | Hot Air Gun | Solder Wick | Solder Sucker & De-soldering Iron | Fume Extractor | Magnifying Lamp | Digital Recording Microscope
Laser Cutting
The Fusion Pro is the perfect tool to quickly and cost effectively cut or etch compatible materials such as acrylic and laser safe wood products. For more advanced users, a rotary drive is available to etch cylindrical objects.
Wood Working
The Woodshop is equipped with the tools needed to support basic wood working projects and include: saw horses, hand tools, a jigsaw, drills, and Dremel rotary tools.
Workbenches and Tools
The Workbenches in the Fabrication Underground can be reserved for workshops or to work on individual projects that require hand tools. When used properly, hand tools can be quite effective, safe, and easy to use.
- Fabrication Underground – Welcome to the space (orientation) approx 45 minutes
- Fabrication Underground – WoodWorking – 30 – 45 minutes with hands on
- Fabrication Underground – Laser Cutting Workshop – 15 minutes
- Fabrication Underground – In-Depth Laser Cutting 30 minutes
- Fabrication Underground – 3d Printing Workshop – 30 – 45 minutes
Training & Certification
Access to Fabrication Underground resources requires the appropriate certification and equipment reservation. Online training materials are available through our comprehensive Canvas course.
Plan ahead as it will take 1-2 business days to create your account once your training is complete. If you get stuck, skilled student staff are available to assist.
Reserving equipment at the Fabrication Underground is a 3 step process:
- Earn the appropriate Equipment Certification
- Check the equipment availability on the Resource Calendar
- Reserve equipment time using the Reservation Request Form
See the Ground Connections (GC) Knowledge Base for additional learning materials, material data sheets, manufacturer’s instruction manuals, and more!
Policies & Access
Fabrication Underground is primarily open for walk-ins, with limited scheduled times for classes, projects, and student events. Expand the sections below for scheduling and access details.
General Policies
What Our Collaborators Say
“I wanted to circle back and say thank you so much for the article write-up and for making that work possible in the first place.
Philip Vernon
I hope it helps others get excited by the great stuff happening in the Duderstadt.”Graduated Student, University of Michigan
“We over here at WoW wanted to follow up and thank you again for hosting our first ever educational workshop!
Bea Kaskie
It went extremely well and we got lots of great feedback on continuing to support student bike repair. We deeply appreciate the ability to use your space and look forward to continuing our drop-in hours …”Student, Wolverine on Wheels Member
“Thanks so much for your help Kathie! It was proving impossible to find replacements for these, so this was a great solution for us.”
Nathan MoselyManager, Crisler Center Facility
Staff
Kathie Ferguson
Manager, Fab Underground/ Ground Connections