MIT’s ‘LaserFactory’ fabricates drone without human intervention

A new system called ‘LaserFactory’ is capable of printing functional, custom-made devices without human intervention. “Making fabrication inexpensive, fast, and accessible to a layman remains a challenge,” Martin Nisser, CSAIL PhD student and lead author on a paper about LaserFactory, said in a release. “By leveraging widely available manufacturing platforms like 3D printers and laser cutters, LaserFactory is the first system that integrates these capabilities and automates the full pipeline for making functional devices in one system.” LaserFactory can be used to create structural geometry, print traces, and assemble electronic components like sensors and actuators. Nisser said that this type of “one-stop-shop” could be beneficial for product developers, makers, researchers, and educators looking to rapidly prototype things like wearables, robots, and printed electronics.