A multi-million pesos fabrication laboratory (Fab Lab) collaboration of the Silliman University (SU) here and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Negros Oriental is seen to benefit students and small businesses alike.

Dubbed Sinergy Fab Lab, the digital laboratory is the first project in Negros Oriental under the DTI’s Shared Services Facility program where a private academic institution has been given funding after the revision of the SSF guidelines this year.

DTI-Negros Oriental spokesperson Krystle Jade Bato said back then, the private sector was not qualified for the SSF program and the Negros Oriental State University in this capital city was the first in the province to receive the SSF grant for a Fab Lab last year.

The Fab Lab is an academe-industry-government collaboration where design ideas are translated into physical form through digital technology to enable small businesses to leverage their competitiveness in the market.

Anton Gabila, DTI-Negros Oriental’s senior trade-industry development specialist and program manager for Creatives, Startups, and Digital Strategies, said the DTI has allocated PHP 3.2 million for the equipment, while the SU counterpart includes the facility, building, and staff, among other things.

“The project is undertaken through SU’s Technology Business Incubator where the technical aspect and the business aspect are fused,” Gabila said.

The DTI-Negros Oriental has already delivered the equipment for the Sinergy Lab, namely, Bambulab P1P 3D printers, Einscan 3D scanner, Vacuum Forming Machine, Voltera PCB printer (for printing circuit boards) and a print and cut machine (for printing labels and stickers).

MSMEs can avail of the facility’s services, such as designing logos and stickers for their businesses, at a lower cost of as much as 30 percent, Gabila said.

Meanwhile, he added that the Fab Lab will also be used for instruction, such as for elective subjects on engineering, industrial and product design.

The official launch and signing of the memorandum of agreement between SU, Sinergy Fab Lab, Sinergy TBI, and the DTI is set on Wednesday with a test run of the machines already held recently.

The first Fab Lab in Negros Oriental was established last year at the Negros Oriental State University, Bato said. (PNA)