C-SED Lab FAQ

Who can use the C-SED lab space?

Any Michigan student, regardless of major and level of experience and skills! A lot of students use the space for engineering project teams and personal projects, but we are open to any student (undergrads or grad students) that want to learn, express their creativity, engage in curiosity, and build their skills, as expressed in the C-SED lab values.

Faculty and Staff at the university are also welcome to gain access and use the lab!

What types of trainings are there?/Which training should I sign up for?

There are currently 3 types of trainings:

Orientation (30 minutes) – a walk-through overview with one of the lab managers of the lab space, storage areas, safety rules, logistics of using the lab, resources, and tools available. This does not include training with any of the power tools. We recommend signing up for this training if you want to use the space and resources but do not plan to use any of the power tools.

Level 1 Tool Training (1 hour) – entry level power tool training including the orientation training with power tool training using the miter saw, bandsaw, drill press, and hand drill. This is the most common training students sign up for and we recommend this training for most fabrication.

Level 2 Tool Training (1 hour) – advanced power tool training using the table saw, router, and planer. The Level 1 Tool Training must be completed before you can sign up for the Level 2 Tool Training. We recommend this training if you would like to advance your skills in different power tools, or if your project may require the use of these other tools when discussing with a lab manager.

Any student is more than welcome to sign up for higher-level training at a later point in time if they choose to do so, whether for their co-curricular project, personal project, or general skill-building/interest!

How can I get trained?

1. Submit a C-SED Lab Application here (one per person)

2. After your application is accepted you and all team members listed on the application will be sent Core Safety Content to review

3. Complete the Knowledge Check (linked at the end of the Core Content). Review your responses, but you do not need to get 100%

4. After completing the safety quiz you will be sent an invitation to schedule an appointment for an orientation and/or tool training

5. Finally, you will receive a Survey & Access Agreement Form that you will need to complete

Once all of the above steps are complete, you will be able to use the lab. If you are on a team, all team members must complete the steps above before using the lab.

*Please note that due to COVID-19 we are not automatically providing full training on the lab equipment and therefore if you need to use any of the larger machinery such as the table saw or miter saw, you will need to notify us beforehand. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate all requests to use such machinery.

If I completed my training in a previous academic year, do I need to get trained again?

If you completed the in-person lab training in a previous semester or academic year, you do not need to repeat it. We do, however, ask that you go through the online safety content and quiz again and sign a new access agreement.

Do I have to be on a project team to be able to use the C-SED lab?

Nope! The C-SED lab is an inclusive and open workspace to meet the needs and curiosities of Michigan students. If you have independent learning projects that you would like to pursue, you are more than welcome to apply to gain access to the space.

What can I make in the C-SED lab?

The tools we have in the lab are suitable for making many things out of wood, basic electronics, plastics, and fabric. The lab cannot be used for machining metal parts or spray painting. Creating weapons of any kind in the C-SED Lab space is strictly prohibited.

What do I do if I want to make something but don’t know how?

C-SED Lab Managers Kaylla and Shannon are experienced in designing, fabricating, building, and making all kinds of things. Booking a consultation with them or expressing interest during a lab reservation slot can help you make a plan, figure out materials, and help teach you what it takes to do your project.

Can I store things in the lab?

Yes. The C-SED lab has an assembly area dedicated to assembling and storing materials & prototypes. During your training, the lab manager will review the storage spaces. For bigger items or use of the storage shelving, please email the lab managers with your team name (your name for personal projects), the items that need to be stored, and how large the items are so we can keep track of who items belong to and for how long they need to be stored. In general, just make sure you label what’s yours with the team and project name (or your own name for personal projects), team lead full name and uniqname, and date. Please make an effort to keep your items tidy and in the appropriate storage space.

Can I use the assembly room space if I haven’t been trained?

No, you must have completed an in-person training before using the lab.

What warrants a warning in the lab?

Not routinely cleaning up, bringing untrained people into the lab, behavior that goes against our inclusive culture and community values, and not showing up for a lab appointment or training without any email notice or communication to the lab managers. We understand emergencies happen or things come up last minute, so please email Kaylla or Shannon ASAP if you will no longer be able to make your time. You can also reschedule or cancel your lab appointment through your confirmation email or google calendar appointment time in advance.

When is the lab open?

You can access the lab at any time, 24/7. You must always have another person with you that has also been trained if you plan on coming in outside of lab appointments for safety reasons. In addition, not all of the tools will be available 24/7. If you would like to use the larger machines, make sure to make a lab appointment with one of the lab managers, Shannon or Kaylla. One of them needs to be in the lab when larger machines are being used.

How do I make a lab appointment?

In order to make sure that the equipment you are planning to use will be available, you will need to make an appointment with one of the lab managers. If you are a trained student and would like to make an appointment, find the email that was sent to you after doing the safety quiz, and make an appointment using the link to sign up for training in the lab.

Signing up for a consultation with Kaylla and/or Shannon is not the same thing as making a lab appointment.

What if I forget the lab code and/or I lose the link to sign up for an appointment?

Send an email to one of the lab managers, Kaylla (kmcantil@umich.edu) or Shannon (sclancy@umich.edu).

Will the C-SED lab be open in the summer?

At the end of the school year, we contact students who have approved access to the lab to take an inventory and ask on a case-by-case basis if they will need access to the lab or store any materials/equipment. We will then follow up about if we can accommodate your needs and storage options with you directly. Any students or teams that don’t need the space in the summer will need to remove items by the indicated date, or they will become C-SED property and may be disposed of.

What resources are available in the lab?

We have power tools, hand tools, various electrical components and testing equipment, consumables such as scrap wood, scrap fabric, 3-D printing material, adhesives and glues, paints and stains, sewing thread and needles, and more! We review a lot of these items during training.

What do I need to do to prepare to use the lab?

Besides reserving a time slot with a lab manager if you wish to use machines or power tools, please make sure you wear close-toed shoes and bring a friend who is also trained to be in the lab so you are not alone in the space for safety reasons.

Do I have to sign in every time I come into the lab?

Yes. Whether you are coming in with another trained student or your team, during a lab appointment, or training, you should always sign in when you come into the space. It helps us collect data on how many people use the space which helps us continue to operate.

What happens if I use the last of a consumable, find an empty box of the consumable, break a tool, or find a broken tool?

Please email the lab managers with a picture of the item in question and what happened so we can order more consumables or get the tool fixed.

Some of the tools in the lab that are listed on the website are not included in the Level 1 or Level 2 training, how do we get trained on those?

During a lab appointment after you’ve been trained on Level 1 tools, Kaylla or Shannon can show you how to use the other tools available as needed for your project.

Where can I read more about the C-SED Lab Procedures & the tools available in the space?

Check out the C-SED Lab webpage or C-SED Lab Guidelines?Policies Document.

C-SED Lab FAQ

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