ELAB is an electronics lab for electrical engineering students at RWTH Aachen University. It was set up by the student council to give students a place to work independently. Here, you can let your inner tinkerer run wild and bring your own projects to life! You’ll have access to a wide range of high-quality test equipment and tools, including 3D printers.
Would you like to use ELAB without having to borrow a key in advance? Then join us for our open ELAB night! This semester, we’re open on site every Tuesday from 7 p.m. You can also get an orientation session while you’re there if you haven’t had one yet.
If you’d like an orientation session but can’t make it on Tuesday, just send us a quick message and we’ll arrange one during the week.
Stop by, and happy tinkering!
You can find ELAB here:
Building 4170
Room P3
Otto-Blumenthal-Straße 2
52074 Aachen
Phone: +49 241 8020150
FAQs #
What can you do at ELAB?
You can work on and develop your own projects independently in small groups. Whether you’re setting up a small radio link using microcontrollers or getting your first hands-on experience with electronic components, it’s up to you. Once you’ve finished your circuit and want to customize an enclosure for it, you can do that at ELAB, too, using the lab’s own workbench.
What can I use to build my circuits at ELAB?
You’ll have access to a variety of equipment, so you’ll be well prepared to get started with your projects. Available equipment includes power supplies, LCR meters, multimeters, oscilloscopes, and function generators. Everything is ready to use. You can work on your own perfboards or pre-made circuit boards, using the soldering irons available here, which come with a variety of tips. That means you can get started with either SMD components or conventional DIL packages.
Sounds great, but what can I build?
In principle, anything you like. You just have to stay within the power limits: no more than 60 V RMS and 10 A in any current path or loop.
I’ve never soldered before. What should I do?
You can get your first soldering experience at ELAB. Practice makes perfect—and that’s exactly the idea at ELAB.
What do I need to do to sign up?
Since we live in Germany, where everything has to be in order, there are a few things to keep in mind. If you’re interested in ELAB and would like to sign up, please email us at elab@fset.rwth-aachen.de. We’ll arrange a time to meet. Please bring your BlueCard and an official photo ID. First, you’ll receive a safety briefing. After that, you can sign the user agreement, and we’ll set up your account.
Still have questions? Stop by one of our office hours or email us at elab@fset.rwth-aachen.de.
Sounds great. Is it free?
Yes. Long live the soldering iron!