Beyond Design

A Visit to GE Garages During Chicago Ideas Week

October 23, 2013

I recently had the chance to go check out the GE Garages Fab Lab that coincided with Chicago Ideas Week. GE Garages aims to spark interest and greater participation in advanced manufacturing and making. The space was filled with good energy and conversation from young beginners to long-time enthusiasts.

GE Garages showcased a lot of the latest technology relating to rapid prototyping and small-scale production including a CNC mill, laser cutter, 3D printers, injection molder, and Arduino kits. The event was run by TechShop employees that were very knowledgeable and were giving periodic demos, allowing everyone in the crowd to get their hands dirty.

As someone who has been an active maker for the past few years, it is exciting to see the spread of technology that has been common knowledge in our industry for years (3D printing, laser cutting, etc.) spread to a wider audience.

GE Garages has been setting up the site in multiple cities starting in Austin at SXSW last year. We can only hope that the site keeps moving and they continue to spread the awareness of the latest in maker technology. You can check out some photos from the GE Garages in Chicago below, as well as see a brief video of the Austin site here.

Written by: Trevis Kurz, Industrial Designer, Beyond Design