Ahmedabad University unveils ‘Tinkerers’ Lab’ with 24x7 access to engineering students

Ahmedabad University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science has unveiled a ‘Tinkerers’ Lab’ for engineering students. The lab offers access to ‘cutting-edge’ tools to turn their ideas into working prototypes. It is launched in collaboration with Maker Bhavan Foundation, AIA Engineering Ltd, and Arvind Composites.

The lab will be open 24x7 for students to work for academic courses, entrepreneurial ventures, and national competitions, the university said.

Notably, students can also commercialise their innovations through the lab as it provides a direct link to VentureStudio, the university’s incubation hub. The lab is also supported by industry linkages for live projects, and internships.

Sunil Kale, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, Ahmedabad University, said: "The Tinkerers’ Lab is an important part of the university’s ecosystem, giving students and the community at large the opportunity to engage directly with materials, tools, and technologies as they learn to engineer solutions and think creatively across disciplines."

The Tinkerers’ Lab is equipped with industry-grade equipment including 3D printers, laser cutters, electronic workstations, machine tools, hand tools, and precision measurement instruments. The lab is managed by students alone.

Emphasising on the practical knowledge, Damayanti Bhattacharya, CEO of Maker Bhavan Foundation, said; “The Tinkerers’ Lab reflects our commitment to future-focused skilling and innovation. We want our students to be fearless in experimenting, deliberate in designing, and thoughtful in solving the world’s pressing challenges. This space invites them to move from consuming knowledge to creating it.”

Also read IIT Madras launches School of Innovation, Entrepreneurship; offers UG,PG,PhD degrees for working professionals

Tinkerers’ Lab collaboration with LEAP

The university also informed that the lab services will be enhanced after collaboration with LEAP (Learning Engineering by Activity through Projects), a programme developed by the IIT Madras Incubation Cell.

LEAP will introduce student workshops, faculty training, and project-based learning modules to embed hands-on engineering deeply into the curriculum.

Moreover, a variety of materials and consumables are also available in the lab, which will help students to build working solutions around the clock, the university said. The university students will also have access to the Department of Science and Technology (DST)-supported PRAYAS Shala and a Fabrication Shop, it added.

“The Lab will be open to all engineering students at Ahmedabad University starting this semester. Students can participate in LEAP boot camps, interdisciplinary build-a-thons, and ongoing mentoring programmes that focus on real-world application of engineering principles,” the university stated.