Northern Lakes Regional Academy

The Northern Lakes Regional Academy Fab Lab is part of a grade 9-12 public based charter school in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. Northern Lakes Regional Academy (NLRA) is a PBL and STEAM school. NLRA currently has 44 students. Students utilize the Fab Lab on a daily basis to create prototypes, products, entrepreneur- ship and practice good engineering design. Furthermore, the NLRA Fab Lab acts as the district "think tank". Other students and staff in the district come to the students of NLRA to bring their ideas and designs to life. For example, at the moment NLRA students are teaming with 5th grade staff and students on building 3-D printers that will then be available in each of the districts 5th grade classrooms! NLRA students have also teamed with students from Rice Lake High School to create packaging projects using the NLRA Fab Lab's laser cutter. The Fab Lab has also been responsible for leading the way to robotics and micro-processing curriculum an the districts middle school. In total the the NLRA Fab Lab has helped nearly 3000 students and staff in the Rice Lake Area School District!
The Fab Lab is also providing assistance to the public. Through the NLRA Fab Lab we have provided services to local communities and charities. At the moment, we are using the NLRA Fab Lab equipment to restore signs for the Barron County Historical Society Museum. There is a senior student working on his senior capstone by teaming up with a local electrician and entrepreneur. Between the two, they are using 3-D modeling software to make 3-D printed prototypes of an invention that will help with public safety.

The NLRA Fab Lab has several pieces of equipment that allows for multiple operations. This equipment includes: Epilog 40 Watt laser engraver, Roland Vinyl Cutter, four 3-D printers, 48" x 96" ShopBOT CNC router, 24" x 32" ShopBOT Desktop CNC router, Roland table top CNC router, Vex Robotics, Arduino Microprocessors, Manual Metal Mill, Manual Metal Lathe, Sliding Compound Miter Saw, Table Saw, Band Saw, Soldering Stations with circuit building and testing equipment.