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Textiles & Electronics Policies

Textiles & Electronics Makerspace Policies#

This page contains policies specific to the Textiles & Electronics Makerspace. These policies apply in addition to the all-makerspace policies.

To access the all-makerspace policies, click here.

Space-Wide Policies#

Food and Drink#

Food and drink that are not in sealed containers must be left at the makerspace manager's desk immediately as you enter the space. See Makerspace Policies: Food & Drink for more information.

Machine Queueing#

Both sewing machines and soldering stations often see extreme spikes in demand surrounding the due date for projects or events such as Imagine RIT. At the discretion of the on-duty staff, a queue system may be implemented for such equipment. Makers can sign up for the queue to use a piece of equipment if all are currently in use. When equipment becomes available, if the queue is active, the next maker on the queue will be given access to the equipment. If a maker reaches the front of the queue and they are not in the space, they will be removed from the queue.

When a queue is active, there are no restrictions on how long the equipment is in use. However, makerspace staff, at their discretion, can judge a maker to be improperly claiming or occupying the equipment beyond their current needs, and ask them to relinquish it for others.

Hot Equipment#

In both the textiles and electronics areas of this makerspace, equipment can be found that reaches elevated temperatures while running. For instance, heat guns or clothes irons. When operating such equipment, it is the responsibility of the maker to ensure the equipment is attended any time any accessible, exterior surface of the equipment is in excess of 50C. This includes standing by while such equipment cools after use.

Personal Protective Equipment#

The following section is in addition to, but does not supersede, the Makerspace Policy on PPE.

There are no specific PPE requirements for being isn the Textiles & Electronics Makerspace.

The following equipment has additional PPE requirements;

  • Soldering: All forms of soldering tools (iron, gun, plate, etc.) must be used underneath a properly-functioning fume extractors rated to handle the solder being used.
  • Cutters: Cutting of metal or plastic-based electrical components, including leads, wires, solder, PCBs, etc. must be done while wearing safety glasses.
  • Powered Needle Sewing: Makers sewing with a mechanically or electrically-actuated needle, such as those found on a sewing machine, must wear safety glasses if their face is within 18 inches of the needles while they are moving.

Electronics Policies#

Info

Be sure to review Makerspace Policies: Electrical Policies, which govern all electrical systems in the makerspace, as well as Makerspace Policies: Restricted Metals, which restricts the use of leaded solder.

Soldering#

Modifications to soldering equipment, such as changing tips or swapping base stations or wands, can only take place when the iron reports a temperature of 50C or lower.

Solder waste, including but not limited to solder alloys, electrical components that have solder on them, used solder wick, and expired or otherwise discarded solder paste, must be disposed of in the designated Solder Waste bins found at each electronics station.

Personal Equipment#

Makers are permitted to bring in and use their own soldering irons, electrical test equipment, and similar so long as they are operated in accordance with makerspace policies. Any applicable safety checks for the SHED's equivalent of the equipment must be completed, even if using personal equipment. As an example, a maker who brings their own soldering iron must solder at a designated soldering station, and must have the trainings completed to activate the soldering station.

Makers are permitted to bring in their own accessories to augment the use of makerspace equipment. Examples include different soldering iron tips, different test leads for measurement equipment, or more complex PCB soldering jigs and fixtures. Such accessories can only be used if they are designed for use with that specific equipment, and are manufactured by the original equipment manufacturer, or a company authorized to make compatible accessories by the original equipment manufacturer. The use of such accessories cannot permanently modify the regular operation of the equipment, and equipment must be returned to its original usable state before the maker is done using the equipment.

Textiles Policies#

For the purposes of makerspace policies, "Sewing Equipment" is defined as a piece of equipment that forms a stitch in a piece of fabric or fabric-like medium with the use of a needle. This includes, but is not limited to, sewing machines, quilting machines, sergers, overlock stichers, and embroidery machines.

Sharp Objects#

Any sharp objects that must be discarded, such as broken/damaged cutting tools, must be disposed of in the designated sharps bin at the makerspace staff desk.

Sharp objects must always be stored in a safe manner when not in use. Some examples include;

  • Pins must be fully within a pin cushion.
  • X-Acto blades must have a plastic cover over them
  • Rolling fabric cutters must be in their retracted position.

Restricted Cutting Tools#

Cutting tools for textiles, such as shears, fabric scissors, and rotary fabric tools are specifically sharpened for use with fabrics and fabric-like materials, such as thread, interfacing, felt, etc.

In order to maintain the sharpness of these tools, makers are not permitted to use such designated tools for cutting other materials. This includes, but is not limited to, cardboard, paper, plastic sheeting, foam, etc.

Thicker textiles materials, like leather, or much stronger materials, like kevlar fabric, should only be cut with tools specifically intended for that material.

Modifications to Sewing Equipment#

Any modification to sewing equipment that requires the maker to be in direct contact with or in immediate proximity to moving components of the equipment must be performed with the machine powered down or in a locked-out state. Examples of such modifications include changing needles, loading thread, changing presser feet, or unjamming thread jams.

Keeping Clear of Sewing Equipment#

While operating sewing equipment, makers must keep all parts of their body as well as any clothes, jewelry, etc. they are wearing, a safe and proper distance from moving parts. For manually-operated sewing equipment, like sewing machines, quilters, and sergers, this distance of 3 inches from the needle. For computer-controlled systems, like embroidery machines, this distance is 6 inches from all moving components.

Specific equipment guidelines and best practices can supersede these requirements, but cannot set a lower distance.