Advanced Prototyping Center (APC) at Wright Lab
About the core
At the Yale Wright Laboratory Advanced Prototyping Center (APC), our mission is to provide a fabrication facility and design support for custom instrumentation. We have designed instruments and parts for groups across campus. We also aim to help researchers develop design skills and educate them about modern prototyping techniques. The APC complements other research shops at Yale that provide traditional machining services and training. The APC is part of Yale’s instrumentation initiative and the future Advanced Instrumentation Development Center (AIDC).
Visit
Project consultation and support are available. The APC is located on the first floor of Wright Lab in room WL105, which is located at 272 Whitney Avenue, New Haven. Appointments are required; for more information and access to the APC, please email Craig Miller.
For more information about Wright Lab’s facilities, please see the Facilities page.
Available to Yale researchers only
Core website
Visit us
Directions to Wright LabAcknowledgment
If you use APC facilities in your research, we request that you acknowledge us in your written publications or grant applications as follows:
“This research made use of the Advanced Prototyping Center at Yale University.”
We request that a citation or a copy of the publication be sent to the director for our records. This information is important to help support our mission and to demonstrate the need for the equipment and staff expertise within the APC. APC staff recognition (such as co-authorship) on projects requiring a large investment of time, or a significant intellectual contribution by the APC will be discussed on an individual basis.
Workshops
Wright Lab hosts regular workshops introducing capabilities and techniques for equipment found in the Advanced Prototyping Center (APC). Workshop times are posted on our event calendar.
Past workshops
APC workshop: Introduction to design for rapid prototyping
In this workshop we will cover how to get started designing parts for your projects that can be made simply and quickly with a CNC cutter or 3D printer. No prior experience is required, but having an idea for a project that you may want to get started on would be great.
Dates offered: 10/23/20, 03/03/21
APC 3D printing workshop: Introduction to design and fabrication
This one-hour workshop is for those who do not have much experience using or designing for 3D printers, and for those who would like to use the 3D printers housed in the Advanced Prototyping Center at Wright Lab. We will cover types of printers, capabilities, and some basics of design. After the workshop, you will have what you need to get started using 3D prints in your projects!
Dates offered: 03/01/2019, 10/02/2019
APC Laser cutter workshop: Slicing stuff up with light
This one-hour workshop is for those who would like to use the laser cutter housed in the Advanced Prototyping Center at Wright Lab. We will cover basic usage and capabilities, and why laser cutters should be added to your arsenal of fabrication techniques.
Dates offered: 03/27/2019
APC Abrasive water jet cutter workshop: There is no stopping supersonic sand!
This one-hour introductory workshop is for those who would like to use the abrasive water jet cutter housed in the Advanced Prototyping Center at Wright Lab. These machines use high pressure water to accelerate finely crushed garnet to three times the speed of sound. The resulting jet can quickly abrade its way through a wide variety of materials. We will cover basic usage and capabilities, some specific advantages and disadvantages, and why using a little bit of sand and water can accelerate your project.
Dates offered: 05/24/2019
APC Laser and water cutting workshop
This workshop is a quick-start guide to using the APC’s laser cutter and abrasive water jet cutter, and is ideal for those who have not used CNC cutters before and are interested in doing so. I will cover the workflow from design to fabrication as well as capabilities and limitations of the two techniques. Typical uses include cutting parts from sheets of material such as aluminum, glass, wood, and acrylic. However, we are always interested in new applications so feel free to come with questions and ideas.
Dates offered: 11/14/2019
APC Micro-controllers workshop: Thermometers, barometers, anemometers, oh my!
This one-hour workshop is for those who would like to get started with using micro-controllers for their instrumentation needs. Advances in programming environments have made using micro-controllers easier than ever, and their cost is hard to beat. We will cover basic design, communication between sensors, and how to store data in a database. By the end of the workshop, you will have learned that including micro-controllers in your project can be an inexpensive and surprisingly robust way to collect data and control systems in many circumstances.
Contacts
Primary contact
Deputy Director
Engineering Support
Faculty Director
-
Core/facility
Aberration-Corrected Electron Microscopy (ACEM) Core
Our core's focus is cutting-edge and high-throughput capability in electron microscopy techniques, including TEM, SEM, and FIB.
-
Core/facility
Advanced Instrumentation Development Center (AIDC)
Our mission stands at the nexus between hardware, computing, and data science.
AIDC
-
Core/facility
Yale Analytical and Stable Isotope Center (YASIC)
Our analytical services include measurements of stable and radiocarbon isotopes, cations, anions, greenhouse gases, natural γ-radiation, mercury, and nutrients in water or soil extracts.