Autodesk is making its software available to makers around the world by granting access to its full Autodesk Product Design Collection to over 1000 registered Fab Labs.
Last year, the software giant gave Fab Labs access to its Tinkercad, 123D Circuits, and Fusion 360 products and earlier this year made its full portfolio of product design software available to Fab Academy attendees.
Fab labs are a part of a global network of workshops that provide widespread access to modern means for invention and digital manufacturing tools. Those registered with the Fab Foundation can now receive free access to software by applying for a grant.
Participating Fab Labs will receive 10 subscriptions to the Autodesk Product Design Collection which can be used on or off-site by its members. The subscription includes access to professional-grade 3D design tools including Fusion 360, Inventor Professional, AutoCAD, ReCap 360 Pro, 3ds Max plus 25 gigabytes of cloud storage and more.
“Autodesk and the Fab Lab network are a perfect match, so it’s great we’re teaming up," Andrew Gregson, Co-Founder and Director of Fab Lab London, commented on the news. "Getting easy access to core Autodesk products and technologies with lots of flexibility around license allocation will be really beneficial for the entire Fab Lab community – and for the maker movement as a whole. Autodesk is wisely putting itself right at the heart of this movement and helping encourage a global culture of experimentation."
“The maker community in Japan is growing rapidly, and Autodesk has been a leading supporter of the movement through its software and services," Mr. Hiroaki Umezawa, Chief Director of Fab Lab Shibuya added. "Here at Fab Lab Shibuya, we created a project for Maker Faire Tokyo and used Autodesk tools like A360 for design collaboration and Fusion 360 for CNC fabrication. We see that Autodesk’s services are expanding to a broader range of integrated digital manufacturing, so we’re thrilled to learn of this announcement at Fab 12."
