GOCAT Fab Lab

Name: GOCAT Fab Lab

Address: 395 Jackie D Garrett Dr.

City: West Plains

Phone: +1 (417) 255-7278

Capability: Vinyl cutting

Webpages:

Description: The GOCAT Fab Lab is located in West Plains, Missouri inside the Greater Ozarks Center for Advanced Technology (GOCAT); a 16,000 sq.ft. city scales building that has been repurposed into a creative space through an agreement with the City of West Plains (City), the Board of Governors of Missouri State University (University), and the Board of Education of West Plains R-7 School District (R-7). The City provides access to the GOCAT for the University and R-7 for purposes of conducting activities associated with the educational and training courses and programs for the purpose of workforce development; the GOCAT Fab Lab is a manifestation of this purpose. The partnership between the University and R-7 provides shared governance of the institutions, both academically and administratively. The creative machinery is provided by each institution with educators and equipment working together to forge new knowledge in the minds of all who walk through the GOCAT doors. With 2 classrooms, a computer lab, community room, conference room, and office space, the environment is designed to provide a great opportunity for learning. To encourage manufacturing skill development, the 7,002 sq.ft. machine shop of the GOCAT houses the R-7 industrial grade manufacturing equipment consisting of multiple manual and CNC milling machines, lathes, grinders and welders. To provide a space where people can make (almost) anything, the 2,044 sq.ft. fab lab houses the University industrial trainers as well as the equipment and inventory required to be an official fab lab. The GOCAT Fab Lab aspires to continually improve on the essence of the Fab Charter as part of a “global network of local labs, enabling invention by providing access to tools for digital fabrication”. As a part of the global network we want to be a pathway for providing “a community resource, offering open access for individuals as well as scheduled access for programs”.

Activity status: planned