The Lane Innovation Hub is a collection of design, machining, building, and fabrication spaces for creating prototypes and small-scale production runs. Located in the west wing ground floor of the Engineering Sciences Building on the Evansdale Campus, the Lane Innovation Hub is open to individuals and groups from both inside the WVU community and broader state community. Users can use the Lane Innovation Hub Maker Space to get equipment training so they can develop their ideas into working prototypes or use the Lane Innovation Hub Service Center to have components made for research or entrepreneurial projects.
Lane Innovation Hub Service Center is focused on producing designs and prototypes from our WVU faculty, students, and staff as well as entrepreneurs and companies from around our state. This facility is capable of supporting projects from a wide variety of sources including projects external to WVU and government funded projects.
Lane Innovation Hub Maker Space is dedicated to empowering our WVU students and courses with training and access to a wide variety of fabrication and electronics prototyping equipment. This facility is focused on enabling our WVU community by providing the opportunity and skills necessary for them to make their ideas reality.
Training courses and workshops on equipment will be available at regular intervals and can be scheduled through iLab or LIH staff.
The Spaces
The Lane Innovation Hub is comprised of multiple spaces outfitted with advanced prototyping and manufacturing equipment. The Rapid Prototyping space (G85) is comprised of quick prototyping techniques. The Advanced Manufacturing space (G86) provides more industry-like equipment for producing larger scale prototypes. The Electronics Prototyping space (G75E) contains printed circuit board manufacturing and electronics fabrication equipment. Specialized design software is available in the computer lab located inside the CAD Lab (G85A). Also included within the LIH are shared classrooms, seminar rooms and a computer classroom.
G85
Rapid Prototyping
This space offers a comprehensive collection of equipment used in various prototyping and manufacturing processes. The area consists of a fully equipped hot works area, small scale manual and CNC machining, multiple 3D printing processes, several options for 2D and 3D cutting and/or engraving, sheet metal, and wood working equipment. The Rapid Prototyping Shop is the first stop in bringing your ideas to life.
G86
Advanced Manufacturing
This space offers computer numerically-controlled machining processes for making full-scale, functioning prototypes. The area has a variety of industrial quality machines such as 4-axis vertical milling, turning, 5-axis wire cutting and waterjet cutting. Hybrid manufacturing techniques are available, including a direct energy deposition metal additive and milling system.
G59
Metal 3D Printing Facility
The Metal 3D Printing facility has its first machine installed and ready to meet your prototyping needs. Currently the machine will only be operating with 316 Stainless Steel, with hopes to expand capabilities in the future. This facility is the first step in expanding capabilities to use metal additive manufacturing.
G75
Electronics Prototyping
This space offers a complete solution for prototyping electrical systems from circuit design to fabrication. The area consists of a PCB fabrication area, BGA/SMD rework system, and work benches equipped with electronic assembly and measurement tools, including oscilloscopes, signal generators, benchtop multimeters, soldering irons, and hand tools needed to build working devices. Each workbench is also equipped with design, measurement and control software from leading manufacturers, such as SolidWorks, Altium Designer, and LabView.