The Bechtel Innovation Design Center (BIDC) is an educational makerspace available to all Purdue University students, regardless of major, experience, or background. We seek to teach students about all manners of manufacturing technologies and connect students with the resources they need to further learn and develop their interests.

Students can access the Center to work on projects including:

Club Projects
Research Projects
Class Assignments
Entrepreneurial Prototypes
Personal Projects

The Bechtel Center may not be used for projects including:

Weapons
For-Profit Manufacturing (prototyping is allowed)
Drug Paraphernalia

Step 1: Initial Project Consultation (~10 mins - 1 hr)

During our operating hours, come to the Front Desk, or join our Discord Server and hop on the Front Desk channel.
The Front Desk will connect you with an available Peer Mentor and help you start a consultation.
You may have to provide information about material, purpose, design etc. Keep that information handy before you get in a consultation. Hint: Volunteering, tours and learning to use equipment are all projects.
From the consultation you should get project viability, resource list, learning resources, project workflow etc. Hint: Take notes!

Step 2: Project Proposal (~10 mins)

Create a project proposal on our Project Management System.
Make sure to type in the resources based on your initial consultation.
Proposals are not automatically approved! You need to hop on Discord in order to get them approved by a Peer Mentor. Hint: It is best to get this done during Step 1.

Step 3: Finish Initial Agreements Quizzes (~10 mins - 30 mins)

Take the quizzes based on your project in the Project Management System. Hint: You can click on the quizzes in the Project Management System to jump to the quiz. You have to accept the badges for them to be complete.

Step 4: Further Consultations (~1 hr - 3 hrs)

Depending on the nature of the project there might be multiple subsequent consultations. These could be on Discord or in-person (decided by Peer Mentor start in Discord) at the Center. Hint: Always take notes! Share what you have discussed with the last Peer Mentor. Simple web searches can often solve a lot of problems; save the difficult questions for the Peer Mentors.
Ask the Peer Mentor if you are ready for a Reservation.

Step 5: Reservation (~10 mins)

File a Reservation on our Project Management System.
Reservation are not automatically approved! You need to hop on Discord in order to get them approved by a Peer Mentor. Hint: It is best to get this done during Step 4.
Show up for you reservation on time. Hint: Make sure to have your PPE!

OPERATING HOURS

Fall 2025:

Monday to Thursday: 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday to Saturday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Closed on Sundays and all University Holidays

Bechtel Center is student employee run. Exams, projects, sickness and reservations lead to variable daily availability. The best way to get up to date information is to:

Check #consultation-status on our Discord Server.
Ask our Front Desk In - Person / Discord.