Membership

In order to get involved at DaBL, one must first become a member. Anyone with an active AU ID is eligible which includes all students, staff, and faculty. Members of the space are allowed to work within it during Open Hours and have immediate access to many of the tools operated by hand. Many of the larger computer controlled machines require specialized training before using. All tools are to remain in DaBL.

How do I become a member?

Becoming a member is easy. There are only two steps:

  1. Attend an in-person Welcome to the Lab session, where you will go over the Safety in DaBL.
  2. Complete and submit a Safety Waiver. Everyone (faculty, staff, and students alike) staying in DaBL for more than a tour must sign a Safety Waiver; you will be given one during the Welcome to the Lab session.

How do I sign up for a Welcome to the Lab Session or Workshop?

The Welcome to the Lab Session is offered during all of our Open Hours. Simply stop by and ask. All Workshops are first come first serve so show up promptly at the designated time.

Rules

There are major rules to remember in DaBL:

  • Respect the community.
    Be kind to each other. We are a community of designers, builders, and experimenters; building a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere is paramount to the success of the space.
  • Respect the space.
    Whenever you end up working during your time in DaBL, make sure you leave it cleaner than how you found it. If something breaks, notify a CaTS. To protect the equipment, there are no foods or open liquids. Also, there is absolutely no fabrication of any dangerous or offensive objects (e.g. weapons).

Equipment usage

As a member, you can only use equipment that you are qualified to operate. To become qualified on a machine, you must attend a Certification Workshop. No equipment may leave DaBL.

Your time in DaBL

During your time working in DaBL, keep in mind the following:

The Creative and Technical Specialists are the boss.
While you're in DaBL, the Creative and Technical Specialists on shift are in charge. If they ask you to stop what you're doing, you must listen; they are in the Lab to make sure that members are working safely while also providing project advice.

Remember to badge in and out.
When entering and leaving DaBL, you must badge in and badge out with your AUID. The main badging system is on the front desk, to your right as soon as you enter the space. When you are joining the Lab, a CaTS will put you into our database, which holds all your member information (including certifications). The procedure is simple:

  1. When you approach the reader, its LED should be solid blue, which means it's connected to WiFi. If it is not, tell a CaTS.
  2. Tap and then remove your badge from the reader. The LED will turn off.
  3. Wait for a moment:
    • A blinking green means you're good to go!
    • A blinking red means you either got a new AUID, or you're not in the database. You need to talk to a CaTS.
    • A blinking yellow means the database is down. Let a CaTS know.

Don't forget your Shop Job.
Five minutes before you absolutely have to leave DaBL, find a CaTS and ask them for a shop job - a small task to help clean and organize the space. It may be as simple as wiping down a tabletop, or sweeping under the 3D printers, or taking hand tools back to their homes. The more all members pitch in, the more usable the Lab is, and the better experience everyone will have!

What if I have other questions?

If you've got more questions (such as: how much do materials cost?), please visit our FAQs, send us an email, or visit us and talk to a Creative and Technical Specialist!

An excited member holding their project.
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