X-Lab has evolved though a number of steps, briefly described here. 

Today: X-Lab is thriving

Today X-Lab has 7 employees (2.95 full time equivalents), 5 amanuenses, and many engaged students. Both students, colleagues and external visitors are enjoying the Makerspace and the equipment, material and activities that are offered. The Student Core Group consists of approximately 10 students, organising events on a regular basis. The development of X-Lab is continuing - together we explore, create, and innovate. Please come and join us! 

2024-2025: Renovation ongoing

X-Lab are holding activities for students on a regular basis. The activities includes workshops in e.g. 3D printing, Brodering, wood working, laser cutting, etc. The activities are held by Amanuenses (i.e. students from Lund University, hired by X-Lab). The physical location needed an update and the renovation started in summer 2024; the original rough industry look will be kept while transformed to give a more user-friendly and welcoming atmosphere, and adding modern interior design.  

August 2023: Large-Scale

The location of X-Lab is an old machinery workshop. In august 2023, additional squaremeters are being accessible for X-Lab. Hence, the physical location expands from 100m2 to 2000m2. The old machinery workshop gives a rough but cool atmosphere for X-Lab. However, some adjustments are needed and hence future renovation is evaluated. 

2020-2023: X-Lab is growing

X-Lab started to hold activities for students. The organisation of X-Lab was formed and a board was elected. First board meeting was held on a sunny day, June 22, 2021. In fall 2022 an External Advisory Board was formed, with representatives from prominent international makerspaces, and a first meeting was held in September 2022. In November 2022, Anders Warell joined as Deputy Director for X-Lab (Dnr P 2021/6925). later in 2023, Anders Warell and Charlotta swapped positions, and hence Anders became the Director X-Lab and Charlotta is Deputy Director X-Lab. 

October 2020: Mid-scale

In October 2020, X-Lab moves to a more spacious location, approx 100m2, in the Machine-house building at LTH. The location is an old machine workshop, giving the right atmosphere to X-Lab. The inauguration of the maker space was held on Oct 19th, 2020, by LTHs Dean Viktor Öwall. In conjunction with the launch of Mid-scale, a name competition was held among the students and colleagues at LTH. Many, very good suggestions, came in and all suggestions were evaluated very carefully. However, one suggestion was submitted by several persons: X-Lab. Hence, the official name became X-Lab (STYR 2020/1563). The equipment park contains 3D-printers, laser cutter, sewing machines, wood-working machines, etc. Supply of basic material to be used with the equipment is available, larger quantities is sold at "self-cost-prise". In December 2020, Charlotta Johnsson was appointed as Director for X-Lab (Dnr P 2020/8777). 

Sketches of X-lab mid-scale (PDF, 7.31MB, new tab)

May 2020: An official part of LTH

The maker space was included in LTHs organisational structure, it is set up as a special activity (särskild verksamhet) (STYR 202/775), and its regulations (Swe: föreskrifter) were agreed upon (STYR 2020/724). In August 2020, Claes Dorthe, was hired as Coordinator for X-Lab focusing on the physical construction of X-Lab mid-scale and X-Lab large-scale. In Sept 2020, Andrej Zemtsovski, was hired as Amanuens focusing on building up a student-core-team. 

Spring 2020: An unforeseen event

In spring 2020, the Corona pandemic, break loose. Close to LTH there is a large hospital which were in need of equipment such as face-masks, hand-disinfectant, and face-shields. Since X-Lab had equipment and access to a network of students, we could offer help to the hospital. Clear instructions was given by the hospital of how In total X-Lab produced 12 000 face-shields to the hospital (the production was done in compliance with the hospital's instructions). Thanks to everyone - student and colleague - that an engaged in this helloing activity.

October 2019: Small-scale

The Makerspace opened up in October 2019, small scale. The space for the maker space was 50m2 and it was located in one of the corridors of Design Center at LTH (IKDC: 352-355). The first equipment were two 3D-printers, a laser-cutter, and other equipment suitable for wood and paper work. The maker space was called X-Lab ny its users. 

Sketches of X-lab small-scale (PDF, 9.91 MB, new tab)

2018-2019: Confirming the idea

The Innovation group was invented to LTHs managment group on a regular basis to present the current status of the development project "InnovationsKultur" (Eng: InnovationCulture) (Dnr SAMV 2019/39). A plan was formed of launching the Makerspace in three phases: Small-Scale, Mid-scale and Lage-Scale. Before entering a new phase the previous one should be evaluated and a Go/No-Go decision should be taken. 

April 2018: Investigating the possibility

LTHs management board decided to launch a development-activity (Swe: utvecklingsprojekt) to further explore the possibility of having a MakerSpace at LTH (Dnr SAMV 2018/140). The development-activity had the name "InnovationsKultur" (Eng: InnovationCulture).

2018: Anchoring the idea

The InnoVision Group was invited to presented their idea to LTHs management board a couple of time.  

2015-2019: An idea is born

A group of LTH-colleagues from various departments at LTH started to meet regularly to discuss LTH:s innovation profile. Many had been to other universities around the world and seen their makerspaces and their innovative profiles. A vision started to evolve: what about setting up something similar at LTH? A mission was formed to create a makerspace and form a community, adding value to LTHs Innovative profile. The group was referred to as InnoVisionGroup. The group meet on a regular basis, approximately every month during the semesters, from December 2015 to end-2019.

The initial group consisted of: Maria Andersson, Lars Bengtsson, Charlotta Johnsson and Anders Warell

Members of Innovation group: Maria Andersson, Lars Bengtsson, Charlotta Johnsson, Anders Warell, Olaf Diegel, Annika Olsson, Gustav Siden, Malin Olander-Röse, David Andren, Martin Magnusson, Hajni Bodnar, Ulrika Forsberg-Högman, Per-Olof Hedvall, Jessica Wadin, TLTH-representative, Claes Dorthe, Anders J Johansson, Kristina Lindgärde, Heiner Linke, Damien Motte, Harry Pigot, Kirsten Rassmus-Gröhn, Anders Robertsson, Kristian Soltesz.