Lagos Garage has kicked off its 2017 spring training session

As Social Media Week Lagos kicked off its fifth edition at the Landmark Event Centre, VI, yesterday, General Electric (GE) was on hand to educate attendees on 3D printing techniques.

Attendees were treated to quick run-throughs of various kinds of fabrication processes using 3D printers and unique software to create interesting items at the GE stand.

While attendees were being treated to the latest in 3D printing and fabrication technology, GE also commenced its next training programme at the Lagos Garage, 3rd-floor Mansard Insurance building, Bishop Aboyode Cole street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The GE Lagos Garage, which just graduated its latest batch of trainees from its 3D printing training programme, is a design and fabrication lab.

ALSO READ: Final 25 participants selected for 3D printing training program

GE created the Garages program in 2012 to reinvigorate America’s interest in the invention, innovation, and manufacturing. In 2014, Garages went global with three weeks of workshops amidst a fully equipped fabrication lab in Lagos, Nigeria, at GE’s regional headquarters.

GE engineers will be on hand at the Lagos Garage to teach participants and 3D printing enthusiasts present at the training about the technology.

"It is really interesting how you can put in a shape into the computer and next thing, that shape is coming to life right before your eyes," said David Oluranti, one of the attendees at the kick-off event. "It is such a fascinating thing."

The program is designed for hardware entrepreneurs that have an existing product or idea and want to learn how to manufacture it or components of it in Nigeria using 3D printers, instead of importing it.

The program’s select participants will directly interact with the latest manufacturing technologies - including 3D printers and laser cutters - that enable innovation through rapid prototyping, which will transform Nigerian industries.

The programme, which officially started yesterday, will run till March 24, 2017. Check out images of the training kick-off in the gallery above.