Polifactory
Polifactory

Overview

Polifactory (www.polifactory.polimi.it) is a multidisciplinary research lab and makerspace of Politecnico di Milano launched in march 2015 by the Department of Design in collaboration with the Departments of Mechanics and Electronics, Information and Bioengineering. Polifactory investigates the relationship between design and new production models developing research, experimental and training/educational activities focused on:

innovative interactive products and services designed and (co)developed for large scale companies and SMEs exploring in a systemic way the potential of design, digital fabrication and embedded technologies (open hardware);
innovative processes of open and distributed production and (small) urban manufacturing. Polifactory develops research and pilot projects at local, national and international level collaborating with public bodies to stimulate open and peer-to-peer collaborative processes between designers, makerspaces and companies (in terms of developing innovation…
Additive manufacturing: FDM 3D printers of various sizes and a stereolithography machine for high quality 3D printing (SLA) to prototype and manufacturing products and experimenting/testing innovative materials for 3D printing in collaboration with companies (in partnership).
Subtractive manufacturing: laser cutting machine, 3 axis CNC big milling machine and two 3 axis CNC desktop milling machines to materialize prototypes (parts and components for IoT).
Physical Computing: technical equipment to design, prototype, materialize and debug PCBs for prototypting and developing electronics hardware an open hardware.
Moulding and casting: combined use of CNC machines and electro tools to create small molds for casting and thermoforming objects and experimenting/testing DIY materials (a concept of self-produced materials, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127515300964)

. Polifactory is a 300 sqm makerspace that collaborates with companies and public bodies and organizations to materialize interactive product-service systems integrating design, digital fabrication and embedded technologies. It develops, coordinates and manages competitive research and experimental projects exploring the relationship between design and digital transformations in manufacturing. Polifactory offers the following set of services to large scale companies, SMEs, public bodies and institutions:

consultancy activities focused on the strategic use of design and digital fabrication processes within innovation and manufacturing processes;
research activities on design and prototyping of digital product-service system included development, validation and testing with users (groups and communities);
development of pilot-projects at local, national and international institutions stimulating the collaboration between professional creative communities (designers, engineers,...), makerspaces and…. Yes. service.