The Advanced Output Center is The School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s printing and prototyping lab specializing in digital input and output. The AOC’s facilities include laser cutting, large format 2D scanning and 3D printing and scanning.
The AOC is run by the Computer Resources and Information Technologies department, but work very closely with AIADO.
Get Certified for Laser Cutting
View Resource ScheduleHours | ||
| Front Lab: | 24 Hours | |
| Staffed Lab: | Fall Schedule: August 29 - December 17 | |
| Monday to Thursday Friday Saturday and Sunday | 8:45am to 9:00pm 8:45am to 5:00pm 10:00am to 4:00pm |
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| Winter Schedule: January 2 - January 23 | ||
| Monday to Friday Saturday and Sunday | 8:45am to 5:00pm Closed |
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| Upcoming Holiday Closures: | ||
| Labor Day Weekend Thanksgiving Weekend Winter Break | September 1st - 3rd Early close Nov 21 at 5pm. Closed Nov 22-25 December 18 to January 1st. |
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Access
With very few stipulations, the AOC’s services and facilities are available to currently enrolled students, active faculty and staff at SAIC; some services are open to alumni as well. Please see the individual resource sections for details.
All users must attend an certification prior to using the laser cutters or 3D scanners. The devices are self-service and are available for use during regular operating hours. See the Laser Access Policy or 3D Scanner Access Policy page for details.
Certifications
Certifications are available online and can take about 30 to 45 minutes to complete. Certifications are good for two calendar years at both the Advanced Output Center and the Columbus Digital Fabrication Studio.
To request a class tour, contact the AOC at advancedoutput@saic.edu or 312.629.6688.