The GSD Fabrication Lab (“Lab”) exists to provide safe and equitable access to fabrication resources in support of the School’s academic mission. All members of the community who make use of the Lab or perform fabrication activities are expected to comply with the policies and procedures described here and with any additional rules and instructions provided by Lab staff.
Who May Use the Lab
In practice, access to the Lab and its resources is granted only to individuals who are one of the following:
- faculty, student, or fellow of the GSD
- student from outside the GSD who is enrolled in a GSD course
- research or technical support staff of the GSD or other approved project
Only individuals who have completed the required training are permitted access to Lab spaces, equipment, and other resources. Training and access requirements vary by area and tool.
Appropriate Use of the Lab
It is inappropriate for students and others to use their Lab privileges other than for their own academic use, pertinent to their role at Harvard University.
The following are prohibited:
- exploitation of Lab resources for profit
- creation of items with the potential to do harm
- any use of Lab resources that impedes reasonable access by others
- any use that threatens the performance or integrity of the facility
- any use that endangers self, others, or the environment
- unauthorized removal from the Lab of any tool, material, or other Lab property
- destruction, defacement, or abuse of any Lab materials or other resources
Individuals must comply with:
- the instruction delivered in training,
- posted rules and signage, and
- directions from Lab staff.
Failure to do so may result in revocation of Lab privileges and disciplinary action (see “Consequences” below).
Non-Academic and Other Work
We recognize that students, faculty, and staff may engage in fabrication activities and projects that are not in explicit fulfillment of GSD course or other degree requirements, and that these activities or projects may be of academic or community value.
Examples include work motivated primarily by:
- non‑GSD academic needs (courses offered at other schools)
- the advancement of individual skill or experience
- student‑life or other extracurricular student activities
- GSD academic needs not associated with a course (faculty‑led research)
- GSD business needs (not associated with courses, degree requirements, or faculty‑led research)
- non‑GSD business needs (interests of Harvard and affiliates, not otherwise associated with the GSD)
We ask that any work of this type defers to the needs of students completing work for GSD courses and other degree requirements. Please consult with Lab staff in advance of pursuing work that is not in explicit fulfillment of GSD course or degree requirements. Lab staff will review project needs and make an effort to support the work in a manner that does not conflict with the resources needed for student coursework.
There may be some project needs that we are unable to support. We may also identify alternative means or facilities for the work to take place. In some cases, non‑academic or research‑related work that is otherwise appropriate for the Lab may not be appropriate for certain systems the Lab manages (for example, third‑party cloud‑based services); in such cases, Lab staff will help determine suitable alternatives.
Use of Lab-Managed Online and Cloud-Based Services
The Fabrication Lab uses third‑party, cloud‑based services to:
- manage access to certain equipment, and
- store and process files for printing, cutting, routing, and other fabrication processes.
These systems support learning and instruction in GSD coursework. They are not intended for long‑term storage or for handling sensitive or commercially valuable information.
What this means:
- Use these services is intended for coursework and instructional activities only.
- Do not upload information that may be considered sensitive, proprietary, confidential, or commercially valuable (e.g., designs intended for commercialization, confidential research materials, sponsor‑restricted or client‑confidential data).
- Do not rely on Lab systems as your only or as a permanent repository of important files; files may be deleted and may not be recoverable.
Contact the Fabrication Lab before using these services if you have any concerns related to the above, as alternative workflows may be available.
All users of the Lab are asked to acknowledge the Terms of Use of GSD Fabrication Lab Cloud-Based Services, facilitated through our training courses on the Harvard Training Portal.
Additional Policies
For more detailed policies related to specific areas of the Lab, please refer to:
- Health and Safety Guidelines
- Hazardous Materials Policy*
- Policy on Dichloromethane*
- 3D Printer Policies*
- Lab Store Return Policies
- Laser Cutter Policies
- Zünd Policies
- Tool Borrowing Policies
*Because fabrication activities do take place outside of the Lab, several policies and related guidance are applicable across the GSD campus, including spaces and resources that are outside the purview of the Lab.
Consequences for Policy Violations
We feel it is necessary for policies and procedures to be observed by all, and to respond to violations in a consistent manner.
Violations Committed by Students
Upon a first violation:
- User access to Lab resources will be revoked.
- Individual will meet with Lab staff to discuss the context of the violation and determine the appropriate retraining.
- Individual must complete required training to regain access to Lab resources.
In the case of a subsequent violation, in addition to the above:
- The Associate Dean of Student Affairs is notified and may meet with the individual to discuss the context of the violation.
- Any subsequent violation indicative of a habitual tendency or conducive to conditions that are especially dangerous, destructive, or disruptive will be pursued as a Formal Complaint requiring address of the appropriate Review Board Panel and may be subject to Sanctions, as described in the Student Handbook.
Consequences for violations by faculty, staff, and others will be handled in consultation with School and University policies and procedures applicable to those roles.