Sustainable Corporate Development

The "MakerSpace for Sustainable Manufacturing" is an open development workshop that offers TU Berlin staff and students access to production technologies and production knowledge for one-off manufacturing. The MakerSpace enables the uncomplicated production of individualised components for research and development or the production of spare parts that are no longer available to extend the product life cycle. Special emphasis is placed on the sustainable manufacturing of products as well as raising awareness for sustainable value creation.

MakerSpaces make modern production technologies available to small working groups or individuals, similar to how the personal computer (PC) first made electronic information processing possible in the 1970s. The term Maker refers to a subculture that can also be described as a Do-It-Yourself culture. For the Maker, a MakerSpace is a place "To Make (Almost) Everything".

We offer:

  • Free use of tools and machines (incl. instruction)
  • Additive manufacturing of components and products
  • Support for product development and manufacturing
  • Training courses on additive and digital manufacturing
  • Group tours for pupils and students

Completed projects

  • RecycleBin - The plastic recycling bin
  • CubeFactory - The solar-powered 3D printer (www.cubefactory.org)
  • NaWaRo-Bicycle - A bicycle made from 80% renewable raw materials
  • A plastic shredder for the waste recycling plant in Rafah (Gaza)
  • The biodegradable bicycle saddle
  • The 3D printed wind turbine to build yourself
  • Joining device for the production of biodegradable nappies
  • Guide 4 Sustainable Design

Use of the MakerSpace

In the MakerSpace for sustainable value creation, a special focus is placed on imparting knowledge of sustainable production technologies. In the application-oriented projects, it is "hands-on-experience" for the students.

The MakerSpace provides the necessary production and information technology infrastructure, sponsors projects and promotes the most sustainable problem solutions possible. So-called desktop machine tools, i.e. miniaturised machine tools such as 3D printers, CNC milling machines or band saws, serve as production technology tools. They are inexpensive, have a precision of about 0.1 mm and are often open-source based developments that are constantly being further developed by a growing worldwide community.

Desktop machine tools work according to the principle of digital manufacturing. The construction of the workpieces is often done virtually with the help of a CAD programme. In a further step, the machine code is created with the help of a CAD programme and transferred to the machine tool. The machine then independently manufactures the developed workpiece. With easy-to-learn programmes and mostly assisted user guidance, the digital production of desktop machine tools is particularly suitable for use in the MakerSpace, as it conveys its modes of operation intuitively to the user.

In order to enable as many people as possible with different qualification levels for sustainable value creation, the learning content in the MakerSpace is often prepared specifically for the target group. To increase teaching and learning productivity, playful elements of gamification are used, an empathy-based approach that increases the user's understanding and motivation in non-game applications and processes and motivates them to solve problems in a sustainability-oriented way.

With creativity and technical expertise, the MakerSpace for Sustainable Value Creation imparts knowledge of resource-saving technologies to a broad target group, because knowledge is the only resource that increases with use.

Contact

Dr.-Ing. Bernd Muschard
+49 (0)30 314 26865
Room PTZ 340
E-Mail