What is fabbing?

Fabbing (short for fabricating) is the process of creating physical objects from digital data using additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) techniques. It involves the layer-by-layer construction of objects using any of a variety of materials such as plastics, metals, ceramics and composites.

The technique has revolutionized many industries from architecture and engineering to medicine and fashion, allowing for the creation of extremely complex or customized shapes, prototypes and finished products.

Fabbing has become increasingly accessible to individuals, businesses and even hobbyists due to the availability of low-cost 3D printing technology and open-source software. It is also being used in education to teach STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) concepts and practical skills.

While fabbing has many advantages, including lower costs, faster production times and sustainability benefits, there are also concerns around the environmental impact of producing large amounts of plastic waste, as well as potential intellectual property issues when it comes to the unauthorized replication of copyrighted designs.