PRINT YOUR 3D FUTURE
The casual learning centre FabCafe Bangkok serves as a digital fabrication cafe, doubling up as a local creative community. It is a space for people to gather, mingle and connect. It acts as a gateway to the world of invention and is open to anyone who wishes to enter.
FabCafe Bangkok is the 5th FabCafe globally. The other four are located in Tokyo, Taipei, Barcelona and Sitges.
Chutayaves Sinthuphan, co-founder of FabCafe Bangkok, said the space intends to be a friendly platform for people of different ages and backgrounds to come in and create their own things, using cutting-edge technology that was previously limited to research purposes, academic or industrial use. Now fabrication machinery, including 2D laser cutters, 3D printers, a 3D scanner and an automatic sewing machine are available for users here at the cafe.
Everyday, especially on the weekends, people including groups of young professionals and children who come with their parents join the fabrication technology workshop, which guides them in areas such as engraving on macarons or artificial coral making.
“What’s interesting is that children are not afraid of using technology. They are more accustomed with technology and computers than adults,” said the Chutayaves, adding that at the FabCafe a learning course on fabrication technology is also on offer.
“Here is a design-based maker space where anyone can create their objects by learning about the tools, such as 3D printers. The feedback is very positive. Many people come here often,” he added.
Opened in January this year, FabCafe Bangkok was founded by three architecture instructors, Kalaya Kovidvisith, Chutayaves Sinthuphan and Samustpon Tanapant, who have been passionate about having a hub for creative minds where a network of innovation enthusiasts can be established.
Chutayaves said that no matter how much impact the internet has had on our digital era, 3D printing will be even larger than that. It is regarded as the new industrial revolution.
“In the future, there will be no large-scale manufacturing because designers will create the works, the essence being just data and materials, and consumers will just buy the data from the designer and they can choose what kind of materials they want, and order the printing of such objects at a fab lab near their homes, so they will not rely on traditional production or logistics,” he commented.
He explained that 3D printing technology has been used for warships and aircraft carriers for a long time, as they print spare parts. The revolution today can be seen, for example, in websites like amazon.com or 3dmarket.com where data is sold to consumers who only order it to then have it printed themselves. But a disadvantage in this is still that the price of a large 3D printer today is very expensive.
Barcelona is the first city in the world that positions itself as a fabrication capital. Every district in Barcelona has a fab lab that can print any object in 3D. Currently there are up to 20 fab labs that are supported by the government.
Chutayaves made an analogy between a 3D printer and a microwave. The idea is that today every household has a microwave and so in the future every household will also have a 3D printer that will be able to print simple objects. But for larger-sized items, people will have to have them printed at a nearby fab lab.
In Bangkok, Chutayaves noted that in a big district like Bang Rak, there should be at least one public fab lab. But this idea needs concrete support from the state.
Basic education is also important. Children have been the first to adopt this new technology and now most international schools in Thailand have a 3D printer.
It is expected, according to Chutayaves, that every major school in Thailand will have a 3D printer within the next three to five years.
“The heart of 3D printing is creativity,” he added. “If we are just an end-user, we only consume technology.
“But as a consumer who also know our requirement of the material, we can learn about materials and customisation. It is a matter of design democracy and mass customisation, so that everyone can customise their products. And these two matters drive fabrication technology.”