Idea Fabrication Labs joined over 25 manufacturers from all over Northern California, including Chico’s Transfer Flow, Inc. and Nor-Cal Vans, for the North State Grow Manufacturing Roundtable and Expo on Thursday, October 2 at California State University, Chico’s Bell Memorial Union (BMU) on the eve of National Manufacturing Day.

Students from regional middle and high schools, along with CSU students, toured the Expo to learn about the latest manufacturing technologies and workforce challenges. The Expo is designed to help dispel the myth that everything is manufactured overseas and improve community perceptions of the local manufacturing sector and its value to our economy.

Idea Fab Labs was unique among the exhibitors at the Expo, in that its focus is not to manufacture a specific product, but to encourage and empower individuals to innovate through a community space offering a variety of tools and resources that support prototype manufacturing.

James Hall (from left), Erin Banwell and Brad Rios show off various projects created at Idea Fab Labs using the in-house laser cutter and 3D printers to a group of local middle school students.

James Hall, Operations Manager, demonstrated the Lab’s Printrbot 3D printer by printing a model skull, roughly 2 inches square, for an upcoming Halloween project as touring students looked on. Samples of finished projects made using the Lab’s laser cutter-engraver, CNC (computer numerical control) router and electronics zone were also displayed.

For more information, visit http://growmanufacturing.com/manufacturing-expo-october-2/ and http://chico.ideafablabs.com