Fab U Lab

The new ‘Fab U Lab’ at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Plastics Technology at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences simulates a miniature production company on an area of around 60 square metres. In the learning factory, students go through typical process steps from design to production. In addition to the physical process, the learning factory places a special focus on the use of digital tools in a modern working environment. In future, Fab U Lab would like to increasingly target school pupils. A first step is a children's jury that evaluates the products created.

By Simon Colin, 29 January 2026

However, the core users of the Fab U Lab are students. They work in small groups on projects with application-oriented tasks, thus applying the methods from their studies in a practical way. ‘They work in a real, modern production environment, design and manufacture their own products, and gain insights into industrial factory processes from planning to production,’ says laboratory director Prof. Dr. Marina Dervisopoulos.

The students first present their product ideas to a fictitious company management team and, once approved, create a digital twin of the intended product. As in industry, they simulate the production process to test feasibility and identify risks. Once the product is flawless, the actual manufacturing process begins: various machines are available in the Fab U Lab, including a saw, a milling machine and a 3D printer. In addition, an autonomous robot assists with parts transport. Assembly, quality assurance and goods issue are also part of the learning factory.

‘In our department, we train students who will go on to play a key role in shaping and driving forward value creation for our society through technical products and solutions in their future careers,’ says Prof. Dr. Jörg Kiesbauer, Dean of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Plastics Technology. ‘It always starts with the product idea for a technical solution. This must function reliably and safely, but it must also always be economically viable to produce. We teach this in our Fab U Lab. It is a place of learning where our students understand key business functions in context and actively experience different roles.’

A children's jury will meet at regular intervals in the Fab U Lab to evaluate the products that have been created. The aim is for children aged 6-12 to become familiar with industrial processes and the application-oriented engineering programme at h_da at an early age. In addition, the aim is to establish cooperation with schools in Darmstadt and the surrounding area, for whose pupils workshops could also be held in the new learning factory. The Fab U Lab is also open to students from other departments at h_da.