RoboCon New Jersey · Sept 26–27, 2026

The Printing Playground

A live 3D printing pavilion from FUBAR Labs — printers running and building in real time, all weekend on the show floor.

Bridgewater Commons, Bridgewater NJ · Free · Open to everyone

What you'll see

Printers running live on the show floor — a mix of FUBAR Labs member printers and possible in-kind donated machines, printing all weekend. Makers and floor volunteers are on hand throughout to keep things running and show you what's happening layer by layer. The machines are solid — just keep hands clear of the open-frame printers while they work.

FUBAR Labs is New Jersey's first hackerspace, a 501(c)(3) founded in 2009. The Printing Playground is free, open to everyone, and built for families — pre-K through 12th grade included.

Public floor hours

Public floor hours by day
Day Hours
Saturday, September 26 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Sunday, September 27 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Floor shifts run in 2-hour blocks Saturday, 2.5-hour blocks Sunday. Stack a few together or spread them across the weekend — swaps are allowed. Shifts are short on purpose, so you still get time to go walk the rest of RoboCon. It's worth seeing. There's also a Friday evening setup shift and a shutdown shift at the end of each day, if you'd rather help with those — see the volunteer form below for the full list.

Work the floor

Floor volunteers assist makers with their demos, check on machines and supplies, and talk with the public — answering questions and helping visitors understand what they're watching. You don't need deep printing expertise — most volunteers already know the basics, and we'll walk you through anything else. Tell us when you're free and we'll confirm your shift within 48 hours.

Bring a build

Register a print or demo to run live in the pavilion. Tell us what it does and when you'll be there — all weekend, Saturday only, or Sunday only. A few things to plan around:

  • Extension cords and power strips aren't permitted at the venue — your demo needs to reach an outlet on its own cord.
  • The event is photographed and livestreamed, so registering means you're okay with that.
  • No selling merchandise and no soliciting donations on the floor.
  • Want a break? Say so on the form and a floor volunteer can cover your table while you're away.

Where to find us

Bridgewater Commons, second level, in the Investigation Island exhibit aisle. The closest exterior doors are next to Bloomingdale's on the second level. Parking is free.