The College of Engineering welcomes you to the Design & Fabrication Lab web site. This laboratory has been created to support the education of our engineering students through the practical application of machining and fabrication processes. Through the use of this laboratory you will have the opportunity to develop hands on machining and fabrication skills which will increase your knowledge and understanding of machining processes that are routinely used in a wide variety of manufacturing industries.
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Students working on tools inside the Design and Fabrication Lab -
A row of machines inside the Design and Fabrication Lab -
Worker using a saw inside the Design and Fabrication Lab
Students, faculty, and staff wishing to use the Design & Fabrication Lab (student machine shop) must obtain a shop permit. There are three different permits (yellow, blue, and Red), each providing a certain level of training and access to shop resources. All levels require a safety training session and test. Faculty, staff and students entering the lab will be expected to have their permit with them and worn visibly while in the lab operating equipment and performing bench work.
Prerequisites
To apply for a permit, you must be at least 18 years old and either a current University of Nebraska student with an affiliation to the College of Engineering (an engineering major, enrolled in an engineering course, or in an engineering student organization) or a current member of the University of Nebraska College of Engineering faculty or staff. Safety training, tooling or materials fees may also be required before using the shop (including prior to permit/upgrade training).
Permits
Faculty, staff and students should honestly self-evaluate their skill sets to determine which permit best meets their needs or skill development. Just like any other lab that uses dangerous materials or equipment we require potential shop users to demonstrate they have the requisite knowledge for the safe operation of equipment. Therefore, the College of Engineering requires that users be evaluated through various knowledge and skills tests to quickly and easily identify individual competencies.
The College of Engineering Design & Fabrication Lab contains machines that when operated improperly can cause serious injury to the operator and others in the area. Additionally, when a machine is damaged it can take a long time and be of considerable expense to repair. This decreases the availability of equipment when students need it most during class or club projects. Permit requirements are the most effective way of validating that users have the skills and knowledge to operate equipment safely and professionally.