FabLab RUC

A fusion of artists, companies and scientists

Universitetsvej 1, Building 4.0 4000 Roskilde, Denmark

Makerspace Hackerspace Fab Lab Production center School workshop

Space size 200 m²

Opened in January 2009

Structure type Public University

Explored in February 2019


FabLab RUC is a part of the University of Roskilde. Creating innovative products, giving the possibility to anyone to create and build their projects are the main interests of this space. At 20 minutes outside of the city by public transportation, people can easily come into the space by bus from the Roskilde train station or, obviously by car.

Social networks

Main interests

Technology - machines & tools Industry & innovation Hacking Energy & environment Electronics Software development Agriculture Do-it-yourself

This workshop is great for:

Every single person & organisation!

The closest workshops nearby are:

Making it possible for many

Are you a student? A company? An artist? Or just a crazy dreamer? You will probably find your place in the FabLab RUC.

You can come directly to the University and talk with the team. The space is open only to students on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Non-students can come anytime on Wednesdays.

You can also contact them in many different ways, by using mails, or sending messages on their different social media accounts like Twitter or Facebook.

Feel free to come and talk about your projects and ideas with the team!

Our workshop

Learn more about our space, members, machines & services!

The Roskilde University is interested in the future. Back in 1992, this university was already one of the innovation leaders in Europe. Now, the people here are looking for the vision of the next decade: digital fabrication & production, 3D printing, robotics, blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT) and new energies production.

Roskilde’s Fab Lab story begins 10 years ago with an art collective and Illutron makerspace in Copenhagen. At the same time, the university wanted to create a new educational model, based on art and technology, a kind of half-technical education. It started in a small room, with traditional hand-tools. A year after, the budget grew up and the makerspace got its first CNC machine. Then, the numbers of students doubled and the space bought more equipments including laser cutter, 3D printers, CNC milling machines, and so on.

In 2016, the BioFabLab opened its door. This project is one of the first in this part of the world with the Biologigaragen in Copenhagen. These new structures represent the future in the eyes of the Fab Lab’s members. Trying to create a bridge between today makers and the new ones coming from the agricultural world is the good way to follow the (r)evolution.

The philosophy here is not buy the most expensive machines, but buy the cheapest one on the market with no guaranties and no support. This kind of mindset turn things very clear for all members’: if something goes wrong when you are using the tool, the members of the Fab Lab must control it (and they do) to fix it. In this sense, FabLab RUC invests in people instead of services.

Amazing projects were made in this Fab Lab. A few years ago, the space built a 6x6 3D printers by itself, the largest 3D printer in Europe (in this category). Trying to explore the coming revolutions with a scientific view, another successful project was to create an industrial robot arm full of wood, very cheap and very easy to build. All the blueprints are open source and freely available on the web.

The main interest here is more a meta-interest, transforming academia and the university into a place that can directly improve the world, instead of theoretically improving the world. Their ambition: changing the world of ideas into concrete and physical projects, that can change the world, in a matter of days and not in years or decades.

“People should be makers or know that they could be makers”, said Nicolas, the leader of the FabLab RUC at Roskilde University. He is also one of Illutron’s founders, an art collective workshop created 10 years ago.

FabLab RUC’s team is made of 4 full-time people payed like regular employees. This team is also assisted by 7 students coming directly from Roskilde University. Their main job is to assist and help people coming into the space by supporting them and sharing advices.

The BioFabLab was created and maintained by a single person for more than a year. He creates strong foundation and a safe environment for the future users of this green space.

FabLab RUC is not considered like a “true democratic” structure, because, in part of the funds coming from the University, but also due to the employees. As we write, the lab wants to create a more dynamic and democratic community of volunteers, to become a volunteer-driven structure for everyone.

FabLab RUC can be splitted in two parts. The main one: the Fab Lab where the people can use traditional machines you could find other makerspaces around the world. The second part is a BioLabLab, a space offering the facilities to innovate in agriculture domain and biology.

Fab Lab RUC is a pragmatic collaborative workshop, trying to keep things simple. One meeting by week during a lunch is enough to organise everything. Every Friday, the doors are open to talk on specific subjects. These meetups are spontaneous, if someone needs to share something or organise a workshop on different topics, he/she can.

Fab Lab RUC wants to attract private companies to come here, and feel that the university is wide open for technologies & ideas transfers. This is the big job of Fab Lab RUC. Everyone is welcome, crazy inventors, big or small companies, students and curious: you can come and do what ever you want during open times.

As we write, FabLab RUC needs more inspirational spaces and less closed doors, to free people stuck in their office boxes. A place where people can easily find the inspiration and create innovative product based on green housing. Obviously, this kind of requests also implies the need for more employees and more time.

Fab Lab RUC business model is quite straight-forward: a big part of the budget and funds come from Roskilde University. The Fab Lab also tries to get external fundings from different organisations & foundations when needed.

They do not want to kill the innovation process. This philosophy gives the opportunity to anyone to do anything, and to make something. People coming here can try lot of experiments, event the one you couldn’t try in other traditional places, due to the cost of the machines or rules.

Fab Lab RUC is also part of the world FabLabs network.

The Roskilde University is interested in the future. Back in 1992, this university was already one of the innovation leaders in Europe. Now, the people here are looking for the vision of the next decade: digital fabrication & production, 3D printing, robotics, blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT) and new energies production.

Roskilde’s Fab Lab story begins 10 years ago with an art collective and Illutron makerspace in Copenhagen. At the same time, the university wanted to create a new educational model, based on art and technology, a kind of half-technical education. It started in a small room, with traditional hand-tools. A year after, the budget grew up and the makerspace got its first CNC machine. Then, the numbers of students doubled and the space bought more equipments including laser cutter, 3D printers, CNC milling machines, and so on.

In 2016, the BioFabLab opened its door. This project is one of the first in this part of the world with the Biologigaragen in Copenhagen. These new structures represent the future in the eyes of the Fab Lab’s members. Trying to create a bridge between today makers and the new ones coming from the agricultural world is the good way to follow the (r)evolution.

The philosophy here is not buy the most expensive machines, but buy the cheapest one on the market with no guaranties and no support. This kind of mindset turn things very clear for all members’: if something goes wrong when you are using the tool, the members of the Fab Lab must control it (and they do) to fix it. In this sense, FabLab RUC invests in people instead of services.

Amazing projects were made in this Fab Lab. A few years ago, the space built a 6x6 3D printers by itself, the largest 3D printer in Europe (in this category). Trying to explore the coming revolutions with a scientific view, another successful project was to create an industrial robot arm full of wood, very cheap and very easy to build. All the blueprints are open source and freely available on the web.

The main interest here is more a meta-interest, transforming academia and the university into a place that can directly improve the world, instead of theoretically improving the world. Their ambition: changing the world of ideas into concrete and physical projects, that can change the world, in a matter of days and not in years or decades.

“People should be makers or know that they could be makers”, said Nicolas, the leader of the FabLab RUC at Roskilde University. He is also one of Illutron’s founders, an art collective workshop created 10 years ago.

FabLab RUC’s team is made of 4 full-time people payed like regular employees. This team is also assisted by 7 students coming directly from Roskilde University. Their main job is to assist and help people coming into the space by supporting them and sharing advices.

The BioFabLab was created and maintained by a single person for more than a year. He creates strong foundation and a safe environment for the future users of this green space.

FabLab RUC is not considered like a “true democratic” structure, because, in part of the funds coming from the University, but also due to the employees. As we write, the lab wants to create a more dynamic and democratic community of volunteers, to become a volunteer-driven structure for everyone.

FabLab RUC can be splitted in two parts. The main one: the Fab Lab where the people can use traditional machines you could find other makerspaces around the world. The second part is a BioLabLab, a space offering the facilities to innovate in agriculture domain and biology.

Fab Lab RUC is a pragmatic collaborative workshop, trying to keep things simple. One meeting by week during a lunch is enough to organise everything. Every Friday, the doors are open to talk on specific subjects. These meetups are spontaneous, if someone needs to share something or organise a workshop on different topics, he/she can.

Fab Lab RUC wants to attract private companies to come here, and feel that the university is wide open for technologies & ideas transfers. This is the big job of Fab Lab RUC. Everyone is welcome, crazy inventors, big or small companies, students and curious: you can come and do what ever you want during open times.

As we write, FabLab RUC needs more inspirational spaces and less closed doors, to free people stuck in their office boxes. A place where people can easily find the inspiration and create innovative product based on green housing. Obviously, this kind of requests also implies the need for more employees and more time.

Fab Lab RUC business model is quite straight-forward: a big part of the budget and funds come from Roskilde University. The Fab Lab also tries to get external fundings from different organisations & foundations when needed.

They do not want to kill the innovation process. This philosophy gives the opportunity to anyone to do anything, and to make something. People coming here can try lot of experiments, event the one you couldn’t try in other traditional places, due to the cost of the machines or rules.

Fab Lab RUC is also part of the world FabLabs network.

Machines & tools available

Cutting plotter ROLAND CAMM-1 SERVO CNC Router Laser cutter Bodor 1800x1000mm Metal Laser Cutter Lulzbot TAZ 3D Printer UPBOX 3D Printer Raptor X-SL 1200/S20 CNC Machine

Technologies & processes available

3D printing Laser cutting Vinyl cutting Computing & softwares Electronics Laboratory, biology & chemistry CNC Arduino Metal working tools Wood working tools

Services offered

Creations shop Education missions Hackathons Talks & conferences Prototyping Free & open space to experience

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