Makerspaces

The Anderson Student Innovation Labs is meant to be your laboratory, your playground, and your gateway to innovation and creativity. To that end we have outfitted it with all kinds of equipment and tools and taken care to provide training and documentation so that you can dive right in.

Don't forget to visit the Anderson Labs courses and events webpage to sign up for Micro-courses if you want some guidance on how to use various tools. The Anderson Labs is also fully staffed during its open hours, so simply ask for help and our friendly staff will help you find and use the tools, parts, and equipment you need to start or complete your project.

Visit the Anderson Labs success stories webpage to see past CSE student projects out of Anderson Labs.

Anderson Design Lab

Anderson Labs live-stream

Location: Mechanical Engineering, Room 2-134

The Design Lab is a large open work space designed primarily for prototyping and has many resources, including 3D printers, laser cutters, hand tools, computers, whiteboards, workbenches, and more.

Fall 2023 hours:

  • Monday - Thursday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
  • Friday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Contact:

Email: alabs@umn.edu  
Front Desk Phone: 612-301-3813

Anderson Build Lab

Anderson Labs spaces

Location: Civil Engineering, Room 335

The Build Lab is half open work space and half wood shop with resources that include 3D printers, a 3D scanner, materials testing load frame, welding facilities, woodworking tools, and more.

Fall 2023 hours:

  • Monday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. (call or email ahead between 2:15 p.m. and 6 p.m. to confirm staffing)
  • Tuesday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
  • Wednesday: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. AND 1 p.m. - 9 p.m. (call or email ahead between 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. to confirm staffing)
  • Thursday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. (call or email ahead between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to confirm staffing)
  • Friday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Contact:

Email: alabs@umn.edu  
Front Desk Phone: (612) 301-1911

Polaris Student Machine Shop

Anderson Labs Student Machine Shop waterjet cutter

Location: Mechanical Engineering, Room 176

The Polaris Student Machine Shop is a fully functioning metal shop staffed by professional machinists with metalworking mills, lathes, grinders, a waterjet cutter, and more.

Fall 2023 hours:

  • Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
  • Saturday: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Sunday: CLOSED

Appointments highly encouraged! Click link below to make an appointment to use the shop or the waterjet cutter

For more information and instructions on how to access the lab, visit the Polaris Student Machine Shop webpage.

Contact:

Email: polarisshop@umn.edu  
Front Desk Phone: (612) 626-0342

Exceed Lab

Location: Keller Hall, Rooms 2-160 and 2-164

In addition to the Anderson Student Innovation Labs, you also have access to the Exceed Lab, which is a student-driven, project-oriented workspace with hand tools, electronics equipment, and work benches. Visit the Exceed Lab website.

Contact us

alabs@umn.edu
(612) 301-3813

Visit us

Design Lab

Mechanical Engineering, Room 2-134

Fall 2023 hours:

  • Monday - Thursday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
  • Friday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Build Lab

Civil Engineering, Room 335

Fall 2023 hours:

  • Monday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. (call or email ahead between 2:15 p.m. and 6 p.m. to confirm staffing)
  • Tuesday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
  • Wednesday: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. AND 1 p.m. - 9 p.m. (call or email ahead between 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. to confirm staffing)
  • Thursday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. (call or email ahead between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to confirm staffing)
  • Friday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Polaris Student Machine Shop

Mechanical Engineering, Room 176

Fall 2023 hours:

  • Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
  • Saturday: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Sunday: CLOSED

Appointments highly encouraged!

Storage lockers

Storage lockers are available in the Design Lab and may be reserved for short-term or long-term use; the maximum reservation period is one semester. See staff in Mechanical Engineering 2-134 to reserve a locker; note that you must provide your own lock. If lockers are not cleaned out by the end of the reservation period, the locks will be cut off and the locker contents will be discarded. Let staff know when you are done with your locker.

Meeting room reservations

A meeting room in the Design Lab is available to reserve for group work sessions, phone calls, and more. When the meeting room is not reserved, it is available on a first come, first served basis. You must have 24/7 U Card access to use the meeting room after regular hours.

Reserve the meeting room here.