DTI, Batangas State U unveil LIKHA FabLab
Published Dec 29, 2018 03:11 pm
By Lyka Manalo
BATANGAS CITY - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Batangas State University (BSU) on Thursday launched a fabrication laboratory with P12 million worth of state-of-the-art equipment and facilities to accommodate university students and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Project Engineer Louie Villaverde (left) explains the functions of state-of-the-art equipment and facilities inside LIKHA-FABLAB at Batangas State University, Alangilan Campus, Batangas City. Also in the photo are BSU President Dr. Tirso Ronquillo, DTI Region 4A Director Marilou Toledo (right) and other DTI officials. (LYKA MANALO / MANILA BULLETIN)
The Labspace for Innovation Knowledge Honing and Application Fabrication Laboratory (LIKHA-FabLab) is equipped and ready for digital designs, 3D printing, laser engraving/ cutting, CNC wood router, vacuum formatting, large format printing and CNC metal milling.
DTI Region 4A Director Marilou Toledo said the agency granted the fund under the Shared Service Facility program for MSMEs through collaboration with state college and universities.
Toledo cited that DTI-4A has already launched the 1st Innovation Design Engineering and Art Fabrication Laboratory (IDEA FabLab) at the Antipolo Institute of Technology (AiTech) in Rizal province and Start-up Innovation and Business Opportunity Linkages (SIBOL) Labs at University of the Philippines -Los Baños (UPLB) in Laguna.
“We have to use technology as a tool in making our products better, boost production more and to innovate,” she said,
BSU president Dr. Tirso Ronquillo said the university is grateful for having a fab lab which would further inspire and motivate the students.
“Basically this is a modelling space for some products that can be designed by our students and we would like to give our students the full picture of what they have designed so the design in their classroom will be 3D printed here,” he said.
Ronquillo said that only limited production work can be accommodated in the FabLab but mass production can be done outside because the equipment are mainly for prototyping and manufacturing students’ concepts and ideas.
The fablab is beneficial to engineering students under Mechatronics, Instrumentation and students with AutoCad subjects.
“It is a requirement in our curriculum which prescribes that we should teach our students fabricating units, it can be spare parts of vehicle, artworks, medals, trophies, or any products, they should really experience how to program it in machines and how machines can produce it; and they should really see it the way they will do it in the industry , we are just placing the industry inside the university and that is the real essence of this fablab” Ronquillo explained.
Meanwhile, Toledo has challenged other state college and universities in the region to make relevant FabLab proposals.
Project Engineer Louie Villaverde (left) explains the functions of state-of-the-art equipment and facilities inside LIKHA-FABLAB at Batangas State University, Alangilan Campus, Batangas City. Also in the photo are BSU President Dr. Tirso Ronquillo, DTI Region 4A Director Marilou Toledo (right) and other DTI officials. (LYKA MANALO / MANILA BULLETIN)
The Labspace for Innovation Knowledge Honing and Application Fabrication Laboratory (LIKHA-FabLab) is equipped and ready for digital designs, 3D printing, laser engraving/ cutting, CNC wood router, vacuum formatting, large format printing and CNC metal milling.
DTI Region 4A Director Marilou Toledo said the agency granted the fund under the Shared Service Facility program for MSMEs through collaboration with state college and universities.
Toledo cited that DTI-4A has already launched the 1st Innovation Design Engineering and Art Fabrication Laboratory (IDEA FabLab) at the Antipolo Institute of Technology (AiTech) in Rizal province and Start-up Innovation and Business Opportunity Linkages (SIBOL) Labs at University of the Philippines -Los Baños (UPLB) in Laguna.
“We have to use technology as a tool in making our products better, boost production more and to innovate,” she said,
BSU president Dr. Tirso Ronquillo said the university is grateful for having a fab lab which would further inspire and motivate the students.
“Basically this is a modelling space for some products that can be designed by our students and we would like to give our students the full picture of what they have designed so the design in their classroom will be 3D printed here,” he said.
Ronquillo said that only limited production work can be accommodated in the FabLab but mass production can be done outside because the equipment are mainly for prototyping and manufacturing students’ concepts and ideas.
The fablab is beneficial to engineering students under Mechatronics, Instrumentation and students with AutoCad subjects.
“It is a requirement in our curriculum which prescribes that we should teach our students fabricating units, it can be spare parts of vehicle, artworks, medals, trophies, or any products, they should really experience how to program it in machines and how machines can produce it; and they should really see it the way they will do it in the industry , we are just placing the industry inside the university and that is the real essence of this fablab” Ronquillo explained.
Meanwhile, Toledo has challenged other state college and universities in the region to make relevant FabLab proposals.