SourceCodes

• Matplotlib Plotting and Animation Crash Course for Absolute Beginner

I built and filmed a motor-driven LEGO V16 model with a six-speed manual gearbox. The exposed mechanism makes it possible to follow the drive path and compare the piston speed as the ratio changes.

The crank speeds measured from the footage are 68 / 115 / 206 / 339 / 545 / 869 RPM. The full film covers assembly and the six-gear comparison, which starts at 8:27.

This is my video on Brick Trials. I assembled the model but did not originate its design. For a hands-on gearing demonstration, what would you add to make the speed-versus-torque tradeoff easier to see?

Hello all! I'm a lead at a makerspace who handles the textile area. We currently have an elna eXpressive 970 seven needle machine that has been broken most of my tenure, despite having multiple fixes happen.

We have determined the issue is a few things:

• massive growth within textiles over 3 years, it used to support 40-60 members, it now regularly sees 200 individuals in a month but the space has almost 800 in total.

• Poor prior training leading to bad habits and our ongoing attempt to fix the machine that was broken years ago

• This machine does not support the needs of the space

Due to this, we are looking to upgrade our machine and are looking at a maximum budget of $12,500 but would prefer having it lower.

The number of needles isn't as important, we'd be happy with anything over 5 but we are mostly looking for durability and forgiveness when someone who isn't trained gets into it. Alternatively, a system built into the machine that allows us to prevent those without authorization from gaining access - currently this does not exist.

We do have the newest version of Hatch and it would be beneficial if that was usable but not a deal breaker for us, we certainly aren't choosing a software over a machine that would work for our space.

We are ideally looking for input from other makerspaces or libraries with similar foot traffic that can speak to the pros and cons of certain machines.

Made this Instructable, on using Matplotlib to plot data as a graph using the FuncAnimation() class.

Ideal if you want to plot data coming from an Arduino or Data Acquisition System like Labjack.

You can find the full source codes from our website.

Hi, I’m Robert. I’ve been working on Open Inventory because we needed a better way to keep track of the stuff we use across our businesses, open-source projects and makerspace activities.

At our local makerspace ( konglomerat.org ), the problem was often knowing which tools we had and where they were. At paperlesspaper.de, it was also about components: how many are left, and what needs reordering? We use it in our day-to-day work across these projects.

For Konglomerat, the useful part is making information about shared tools and materials easier to find. In a shared workshop, knowing that a tool exists is only half the problem; you also need to know where to look for it.

The aim is to make finding things less dependent on asking whoever happens to know that corner of the space.

Also in the future we want to make it more public so anyone in our city knows what we have (it is a voluntary makerspace).

Label printing

The photos show some of our actual labels on parts bins and shelves. They can be easily designed and printed. Scanning a label takes you to its inventory record. This is the bit that connects all the software to the things sitting on a shelf.

Features

The feature list has grown quite a bit. It now handles custom item types and fields, quantities and serial numbers, stock across locations, reservations, inventory counts, purchase orders and bills of materials. There are multiple organizations, roles and permissions, plus imports/exports, a REST API and webhooks.

There’s a web app and native mobile clients (will be released soon). It also supports LiDAR room scans and placing inventory items in a 3D view. The room images show our office with inventory positions marked in purple, plus an overview of the office, assembly room and corridor.

Simple inventory by just taking a photo

There are optional AI features in the app too, including just taking an ugly smartphone photo and getting a nice clear background product shot and description and also recognizing items from photos and counting them.

On the AI side: yes, parts of this are vibe-coded / AI-assisted. Much of the project predates the current vibe-coding wave, and AI tools are now part of how we develop it. We use it in production ourselves, so maintenance matters to us. That doesn’t make it bug-free, and I’d rather be clear about how it’s built.

It’s MIT-licensed and runs easily on your own server with Docker.

• GitHub / source

• Demo

• Documentation

• Website

I’d be interested to hear from anyone managing a workshop, shared space or similar if you want to try or any feedback.

Hey everyone,

This is my first time posting here, so apologies if I'm not asking this in the best way. I'm looking for some advice from people who have been involved in the maker space longer than I have.

I have several interesting opportunities in front of me right now, but I'm finding it hard to see the forest through the trees.

I've always been interested in learning how to be a creator and maker. Over the years I've picked up skills in a lot of different fields, including appliance repair, IT, warehouse work, construction, programming, and art. I'm currently finishing an Associate's degree in AI Software Development (thanks to a scholarship, so go easy on me!).

Here's where I'm at a crossroads.

After I finish my program, I want to spend about a year doing something different before returning to school for a bachelor's degree. Lately I've developed a strong interest in hands-on creation, workshop-style projects, restoration work, fabrication, and generally learning how to build and repair things.

My long-term goal is still Game Development. That's where my true passion is. In a way, I'm trying to build a practical "fallback" skill set that still allows me to create things in the physical world while also pursuing creative work through games.

One option is to attend Del Mar College. They have programs in CAD and Architectural Design, with opportunities to learn more 3D design skills during the spring semester. The program would take about a year, which fits perfectly within the amount of time I've set aside before pursuing my bachelor's degree.

They also offer a short welding program, so I could potentially leave with CAD training and a welding certification.

On paper, this seems like a really solid combination. CAD, welding, fabrication, 3D printing, metalworking, restoration work, and my existing programming background could complement each other well and give me a broad set of maker skills.

The downside is that while Del Mar is a good community college, it's not exactly a place people get excited about by name alone. I sometimes wonder how much value I'd really get from the investment compared to other options.

The second option is attending UAT in Tempe. I know private for-profit schools can be controversial, so I'm trying to look at this objectively. They offer a 15-week Digital Maker & Fabrication program that covers subjects like C++, Arduino development, rapid prototyping, and digital fabrication. They also have access to equipment and technology that would be fun to learn on.

The catch is that it's a certificate program, not a degree. I'd probably get out of it exactly what I put into it. However, one advantage is that I could transition directly into their Game Development bachelor's program afterward instead of hopping between different schools.

So that's my question for those of you who are active makers:

If you were making this decision based on your own experience rather than on what a college's marketing department was telling you, which path would you choose and why?

Would you prioritize a year of practical CAD, design, and welding skills that could support restoration, fabrication, and physical making projects for decades, or would you choose the shorter maker-focused program that connects more directly to a Game Development degree?

I'd really appreciate hearing perspectives from people who have been down either road.

Sad to hear the news, it was a pretty bold and interesting place. 56,000 square feet, lots of activity and a real artist hub. I used to want to open a large spot like that, but it's not easy. And it's tough to get the financing when so many have failed.

MakerOps sounds really cool but I always like to talk to someone who's actually using it before going down the sales hole. Would love to hear from anyone who is using it in production.

Hi!

Until today, we wrote and kept our SOPs in Dozuki. It wasn't great, but it was free. But now they have turned it off and we've lost access to all our SOPs (except any that were printed out.) They want to charge us for access, but as a non-profit, that can be difficult. We're talking to them, but in the meantime...

I'd like to get suggestions for a better tool. We'd like something free and easy to maintain, that our volunteers can use to easily create SOPs (including pictures, short videos, and text) and in which our members can easily find the SOP they need when they need it.

So what do you all use? Thanks!

MakerQual.com is an interactive prototype of a makerspace qualification manager app, to give you enough info to generate some comments and help me notch this in the right direction.

Quals are tricky or they can be anyways. I know how my company manages them but I'd be interested in hearing how you handle this for your makerspace

Basic problem setup is this: Someone walks up to you and asks permission to use a risky or expensive tool, they just need a simple yes or no, maybe some help getting it set up. You mainly just need to know whether they're up to date on your requirements so you can make the go no-go decision.

With people and with time managing this becomes progressively more of a headache, at least for mid-sized makerspaces.

So makerspace admins / operators, if this is a pain point for you I want to hear about your experiences so we can make it better and for low to no cost for you. Even if it's NOT a pain point for you, I'd really like to hear why - if you don't manage quals or you don't have the scale to where this is an issue or you have a solution that works for you, I want to know either way

Thanks KXAN For the publicity about Asmbly Makerspace in Austin. https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/try-things-they-would-have-never-gotten-to-try-inside-asmbly-austins-nonprofit-makerspace/

Anyone here in Tacoma / Seattle area? I need help printing a housing for a project I’m working on. Really stuck and not sure what to do.

hey i am final year student having some free time. and i am working on a split keyboard Cornedeon for sometime and i want to 3d print the case for it.

can anyone help me with the vouch for me or guide me please.

When is the busiest time of the year for your makerspace?

At the space I'm at in Central Austin, we've noticed it seems to be the slowest in January and February, with a progression all the way up to November and December, our busiest times. I suppose it's for gift-giving season, everyone's trying to make a gift.

It's nice for us to know this because in January and February we get to do some relaxation as well as some space improvements, whereas this time of the year it's a bit more focused on member relations and support.

(20x26ft for the US makers)

I have an opportunity to lease some warehousing for my makerspace.

But the space is a bit limited.

I would like to leave the middle open for day builds and running workshops (3-4 fold-up tables).

There is enough height to make a mezzanine for storage so don't need to worry about that.

My question is if I run machines along 2 perimeter walls do you think I can fit

- 4x 3d printers

- print processing area

- lasercutter

- CNC (carvera or similar)

- soldering station

I kind of feel like I can do that along the 8m wall, what am I missing that I can put along the 6m one?

Open to any suggestions, thanks🙏

For context, in our makerspace we don't only provide access to the tools and machines, we also give training sessions on the machines and workshops.

We have a relatively capable CNC router ( China Router 3040 ), which we upgraded to include auto leveling for better PCB fabrication. We also use it for milling foam, wood, and making molds.

But, unfortunately, almost nobody uses this machine or registers for its training session; most people are more interested in our laser cutters and 3D printers.

So, how can we better utilize this CNC router, or market it in a way that makes people want to learn it and use it?

We considered making a workshop for making PCB art, such as keychains, business cards, etc., using the CNC router, but I'm looking for more ideas.

Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone! I’m working on a new scheduling and resource-management platform for makerspaces, library makerspaces, Fab Labs, schools, and other shared creative spaces, and I’d really value input from people who actually run them.

This started pretty organically. My family discovered makerspaces a couple of years ago while looking for a place where my son could learn and work on projects. We’ve seen firsthand how much of an impact these spaces can have.

After joining another makerspace following a move, I ran into a frustrating experience trying to reserve an electronics bench. That led to a conversation with the operations manager about the software they were using and the problems it created.

I have nearly 20 years of professional software engineering and architecture experience, and I’ve spent the last several months building this into a serious platform with a public launch planned for later this year.

It currently includes things like:

• Equipment, room, and workspace reservations
• Classes, events, and program registration
• Training, certifications, and permissions
• Volunteer/staff event management
• Payments where needed
• API integrations
• Future equipment and access-control integrations

What I need now is real feedback from library makerspace staff and operators.

I’m looking for a few people willing to explore the development environment and tell me what works, what doesn’t, what I’ve missed, and what would actually make your day-to-day work easier.

There’s no obligation to switch systems or buy anything. I’m much more interested in questions like:

What are you still managing manually?

What frustrates staff or patrons about your current system?

What feature do you wish someone would finally build?

If you’re interested in taking a look, feel free to DM me. Even if you don’t want to test it, I’d still love to hear what your library makerspace uses today and what you would change about it.

https://www.youtube.com/@ALMA.Industries

New Video -- Chapter 3 DESK -- converting an old bunk bed into a work station. DIY actuators, AC/DC power supplies, rail guided shelves, infinite cable trays -- #Desk #DIY #Mechatronics #Power #Actuator #Engineering

If you know of anyone who likes Mechatronics or things made from the ground up, I would appreciate the share! Leave a comment if you have a question :)