Beni Álvarez
FabAcademy 2026
Welcome to this website within FabAcademy 2026
Thank you for visiting this page. My name is Beni Álvarez and I am from Ponferrada, in the province of León, in northwest Spain. I'm doing this FabAcademy from FabLab León. If you want to know more about me, I invite you to visit the "about me" page.
Here I will document everything I learn throughout the FabAcademy.
And here is my Student Agreement.
FabLab Ponferrada (León)
Fab labs are a global network of local labs that foster creativity and invention through digital fabrication tools. In my case, there's a municipal Fab Lab in my city "FabLab Ponferrada" ↗️, coordinated and run by FabLab León ↗️.
Final Project
Weekly Assignments
Fab Academy 2026 Timeline
Jun 08 – 12
Week 20 · Final Project Presentations
Finalize the project, deliver a professional presentation and demonstration, and showcase the complete development process and final results.
May 27 / Jun 2
Week 19 · Invention, Intellectual Property and Income
Define a strategy for sharing and protecting the final project, explore intellectual property options, and evaluate sustainable business opportunities.
Recitation · Start-ups
May 20 - 26
Week 18 · Applications and Implications
Evaluate the impact and future potential of the final project while refining its design, functionality, and documentation for completion.
May 13 - 19
Week 17 · Wildcard Week
Explore an advanced digital fabrication process beyond the standard assignments, experiment with new techniques, and document a fully reproducible workflow.
Recitation · Fab All-In
May 06 - 12
Week 16 · System Integration
Integrate mechanical, electronic, and software components into a complete system, validate functionality, and refine the final project through iterative testing.
Apr 29 / May 05
Week 15 · Interface and Application Programming
Develop software interfaces to communicate with embedded systems, visualize data, and create interactive applications that enhance user experience.
Recitation · Education
Apr 22 - 28
Week 14 · Moulding and Casting
Design and fabricate molds, explore casting processes with different materials, and produce accurate and repeatable parts for functional applications.
Apr 15 - 21
Week 13 · Mid term review
Review the progress of the final project, present the current development status, identify challenges, and define the next steps toward completion.
Recitation · Fab Ecosystem
Apr 08 - 14
Week 12 · Mechanical Design & Machine Design
Design mechanical systems and fabricate automated machines, integrating structure, motion, electronics, and teamwork into functional prototypes.
Apr 01 - 07
Week 11 · Networking and Communications
Connect embedded devices through wired or wireless communication, exchange data between systems, and build reliable distributed networks for interactive projects.
Mar 25 - 31
Week 10 · Output Devices
Control actuators and output devices, generate physical responses from digital commands, and integrate motion, light, sound, or display systems into embedded projects.
Recitation · Machine Building
Mar 18 - 24
Week 09 · Input Devices
Interface sensors and input devices with microcontrollers, acquire real-world data, and process signals for interactive applications.
Mar 11 - 17
Week 08 · Electronics Production
Fabricate and assemble printed circuit boards, master PCB manufacturing processes, and verify electronic designs through testing and debugging.
Recitation · Sustainability
Mar 04 - 10
Week 07 · Computer-Controlled Machining
Design and manufacture large-scale objects using CNC machining, optimize toolpaths, and understand machining strategies for precision fabrication.
Feb 25 - Mar 03
Week 06 · Electronics Design
Design electronic circuits, create PCB layouts, select suitable components, and prepare boards for digital fabrication and assembly.
Recitation · AI
Feb 18 - 25
Week 05 · 3D Scanning and Printing
Explore additive manufacturing by designing and 3D printing objects impossible to make subtractively, while capturing real-world objects through 3D scanning.
Feb 11 - 17
Week 04 · Embedded Programming
Program and debug embedded microcontrollers, understand development toolchains, and create firmware to interact with inputs, outputs, and communication interfaces.
Recitation · Programming & Debugging
Feb 04 - 10
Week 03 · Computer-Controlled Cutting
Design and fabricate parametric press-fit constructions using laser cutting, characterize machine settings, and create projects with a vinyl cutter.
Jan 28 / Feb 3
Week 02 · Computer-Aided Design
Model using 2D and 3D design tools, explore different CAD workflows, and optimize images and videos for effective documentation.
Recitation · Version Control
Jan 21 - 27
Week 01 · Principles and Practices & Project Management
Define the initial final project concept, set up the documentation website, learn Git version control, and establish the workflow for the Fab Academy.