FAQ
How do I become a member?
You become a member by visiting the XP’s office during a lunch call and signing up. The lunchlines are held during lunch on Monday and Wednesday (12.00-13.00). Membership costs 100 SEK and is valid until the next September 1.
In order to stay in the workshop you need to have passed the prototype lab safety course. The workshop may only be used during school hours (weekdays 8-17) for work in courses where the course coordinator has an agreement with the prototype Lab’s daily staff. All other projects are referred to XP time (weekdays 17-24 and weekends 08-24).
To stay in the workshop during XP-time (evenings and weekends) is also required to be a member and have gone XP-intro. Registration is available on the Courses tab.
What tools can I use?
After completing the safety course and XP intro, during XP time you can use all hand tools on the tool board just to the right after the door from the assembly hall to the metal workshop. Even the things found in the XPs cabinets in the metal workshop may be used, including battery-powered screwdrivers.
Note that neither stationary machines (not even those that are hand powered or hand-held power tools that are plugged into wall sockets (e.g. Grinder) may be used without passing additional courses. To use some machines you need to take courses and get a driving licence for the different machines.
These driving licence courses are the 3D course, the laser cutter course, the wood course, the metal course (replaces the former Metal Light) and the metal continuation course (replaces the former “large” metal course):
- The 3D Course provides access to the 3D printers that are just inside the door of the Course Lab. (See 3D printer tab above)
- The Laser Cutter Course provides access to the lasercutter. (See Laser cutter tab above)
- The Wood Course provides access to the wooden workshop with the exception of the lathe and the mill.
- The metal course provides access to the tin Bock, plate Roller, manual hydraulic Press, ARC welds, pillar drills, belt grinders, Cold saw, grade scissors, metal bandsaw and angle grinders.
- The metal continuation course is an advanced course to the metal course and provides access to the cutter and lathe.
The announcement of these courses and other events takes place on our Facebook page.
How long does it take from becoming a member to be allowed to use the machines?
The Prototype Lab’s safety course is held by the day staff and is held when enough are registered for the course and the day staff available. Exactly when this happens is determined by the daily staff.
The XP intro is held on Wednesdays every even study week.
Our shorter courses (3D and Laser) are held at regular intervals.
The more advanced courses (e.g. The wood and metal courses, but especially the large metal continuation course that only goes once a year) are less frequent and these courses often have a high search pressure and a limited number of seats. You should therefore be aware that you should be out in very good time if you need to use the machines that require a driving license.
An exception for using tools or machines without passing the relevant courses is if you are being tutored by one of the board members. For this to happen you need to plan in detail what needs to be done, contact us via our facebook page to see if we have some time to spare and if what you need to do falls in the category of doable but also within the limits of what is possible to be tutored in.
Can you make this for me against payment?
No, to charge for something that is produced in our premises violates Chalmers’ regulations. However, service exchanges with other associations within Chalmers may be relevant, please contact us for more information.
Our business is based on learning chalmerists to manage the machines that we offer on their own, therefore we encourage those members who do not have a driving licence for the machine that you want to use to contact us so we may be able to supervise the work.
How do I register for the courses?
The safety, intro, laser and 3d printer course have a application form, which can be found here.
For the basic and intermediate course in metalworking and the wood course, registration links are published on our Facebook page at the beginning of the current reading period. A hot tip is to follow that page so you do not miss the course.
Why am I not entering the course/Prototyplabbet?
The first step is to consider whether you paid the membership fee in the current school year, membership must be renewed after the last of August.
Then you can contact us where you write the name and personal number so we check if there is something missing for you to get access *, if not then we send an access request to the House manager.
* For access to the course lab, you need to go laser/3d-Kursen. For the prototype lab, you must have passed the safety course and our intro course.