Terms of Service

Last Updated: May 14, 2026

1. Service Overview

Digital fabrication equipment usage services, technical guidance services, data creation services, and the web service "DigiCode" (code.fablab-westharima.jp, detailed in §15) — all provided by Fab Lab Westharima (operated by Digico LLC).

2. Scope of Application

These Terms of Service apply to all members and users of the Service.

3. Membership

3.1 Membership Registration

• Monthly subscription contract for ¥2,500
• Square subscription (automatic credit card payment)
• First payment: current month only
• Subsequent payments: automatic payment every month from registration date

3.2 Member Benefits

• Equipment usage (reservation required)
• Initial equipment training (free)
• Community space usage
• Access to paid optional services

3.3 Materials and Consumable Tools

The monthly membership plan does not include materials and consumable tools required for fabrication. To keep the monthly fee affordable, members need to provide the following:

• Materials (bring your own or purchase at the lab)
  • 3D printer filament (PLA, ABS, etc.)
  • Wood and acrylic sheets for laser cutting
  • CNC materials (wood, resin, etc.)
• Consumable tools (bring your own or purchase at the lab)
  • CNC end mills
  • Other consumable tools

* Materials and tools can be purchased at the lab. Please inquire about prices and availability.

3.4 Member Obligations

• Safe use of equipment
• Consideration for other users
• Adherence to reservation times
• Cleaning up after use

3.5 Membership Cancellation Procedure

You can cancel your monthly subscription by following the steps below. Cancellation requests must be completed at least 2 days (48 hours) before your next billing date.

Cancellation Timing:

• Up to 2 days (48 hours) before next billing date: Full refund available
• After 2-day deadline: Current month is non-refundable, cancellation effective from next month

For details, please see our refund policy.

4. Service Details

4.1 Free Services (Members Only)

• Initial equipment training (once per equipment type)
• Processing parameter confirmation (approx. 5 minutes)
• Safety check of data

4.2 Paid Optional Services

• One-on-one technical guidance (from 2nd time onward)
• Data creation services
• Technical consultation
• Experience workshops

4.3 Full Contract Manufacturing Service

We provide a full contract manufacturing service utilizing the Fab Lab's equipment. Unlike regular Fab Lab usage (where members use equipment themselves), this follows a business transaction flow: estimate → order → production → delivery → invoicing. Depending on the project, we may utilize our outsourcing network to propose the optimal manufacturing method.

• Target: Corporations, government agencies, educational institutions, research institutions, individuals
• Pricing: Individual quotes per project (delivery time varies greatly from several days to over a year depending on the project)
• Payment terms: Depending on the project, we may require partial or full prepayment
• Not included in monthly membership fee
• Contact us for details

4.4 Special Equipment Usage Conditions

For safety reasons, the following equipment has special usage conditions:

For details, please see the Pricing Page.

5. Safety Regulations

5.1 Children's Use Regulations

5.2 Obligation to Follow Safety Guidelines

All users are obligated to follow the facility's safety guidelines. For details, please see the Safety Guidelines on the How to Join page.

• Complete initial equipment training (once per equipment type)
• Follow safety guidelines
• Stop equipment immediately if abnormalities are detected and report to staff
• Always ask questions if unsure; never operate equipment based on guesswork

5.3 Dress Code

When using equipment, please follow these dress code rules:

• Wear appropriate work attire (comfortable clothing that won't get caught in machinery)
• Keep cuffs and hems secured (button cuffs, tuck hems into pants)
• Avoid loose clothing (baggy clothes, ties, scarves, etc.)
• Remove accessories (rings, necklaces, bracelets, watches, etc.)
• Wear appropriate footwear (sandals, Crocs, and high heels prohibited)
• Tie back long hair (mandatory for hair longer than shoulder length)

5.4 Insurance Recommendation

To prepare for unforeseen accidents, we recommend obtaining personal liability insurance (not mandatory). This can be added as a rider to home or auto insurance.

• Effective for cases where you cause damage to other users or equipment at the facility
• Note: Coverage may not apply if using the facility for business purposes
• For details, see Insurance Information on the How to Join page

6. Reservations and Cancellations

6.1 Reservations

• Use online reservation system (Square Reservations)
• Advance payment required

6.2 Cancellation Policy

Note: Refund methods vary by payment method. Credit card, ID, QuickPay, and QR payments will be refunded to the original payment method or in cash. For transit IC card payments, Square cannot process refunds, so refunds will be made in cash only.

For details, please see the Refund Policy.

7. Prohibited Activities

The following activities are prohibited:

• Misuse or damage of equipment
• Disruptive behavior towards other users
• Bringing in hazardous materials
• Commercial use (without prior permission)
• Unauthorized copying or distribution of data
• Safety guideline violations (inappropriate dress, wearing gloves with rotating tools, etc.)
• Allowing children under junior high school age to use facilities without parental supervision
• Using equipment when unwell (increases risk of accidents)

8. Pricing and Taxes

8.1 Facility Usage, Seminars, and Physical Goods

Prices for facility usage, seminar/workshop participation fees, and physical goods (merchandise, kits, etc.) at our lab are displayed as tax-included prices including Japanese consumption tax (10%).

• Payment system: Square
• Target region: Japan

8.2 Digital Products and Software (DigiCode Subscription)

Subscription fees for the web service "DigiCode" operated by our lab are displayed as tax-inclusive prices. Pricing is shown on the DigiCode site's plan page. Payment methods and detailed conditions are set forth in §15.

8.3 Price Changes

The lab reserves the right to change prices without prior notice. However, prices for services and products already paid for will not be changed.

9. Liability for Damages

Users will be liable for damages in the following cases:

• Damage to facilities or equipment: Users will be charged for repair costs for equipment damage caused by their negligence
• Damage to other users: Cases where other users are injured during work, or when other users' work or belongings are damaged
• Damage caused by children: When children accompanied by parents/guardians cause damage to facilities, equipment, or other users' work, the parents/guardians will be liable for damages

To prepare for such situations, we recommend obtaining personal liability insurance. For details, please see Section 5.4.

10. Disclaimer

• We are not responsible for damages resulting from equipment usage
• Users will be charged for equipment damage caused by their negligence
• We are not responsible for loss or damage of data

11. Handling of Personal Information

Please see our Privacy Policy.

12. Changes to Terms

We may change these terms at any time. Members will be notified by email or other means after changes.

13. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

• Governing Law: Japanese law
• Jurisdiction: Kobe District Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction as the court of first instance

14. Contact

For inquiries regarding these Terms, please use our contact form.

15. DigiCode (Web Application) Provisions

15.1 Scope

This chapter applies to the web service "DigiCode" (hereinafter "DigiCode") provided by us at code.fablab-westharima.jp. Matters not specified in this chapter are governed by other provisions of these Terms. In the event of any conflict between this chapter and other provisions, this chapter prevails.

15.2 Services Provided

DigiCode is a browser-based block programming environment for ESP32-family microcontrollers. We may add, modify, or discontinue features as required for service improvement and operations. We will provide reasonable notice on DigiCode of significant changes.

15.3 Accounts

Use of certain DigiCode features requires registration of an account using an email address. Users are responsible for the proper management of their account credentials. Passwords are stored in hashed form, and no party — including us — can view or recover them in plaintext.

15.4 Plans and Payment

DigiCode plans and pricing are displayed on the DigiCode site's plan page. Specific amounts are not stated in these Terms. Payment methods are as follows.

• Users in Japan: credit card payments through Stripe Japan K.K.
• Users outside Japan: payments through LemonSqueezy will be introduced in the future.

Paid plans are billed monthly under automatic renewal.

15.5 Cancellation and Enterprise Grace Period

Users may cancel at any time through the payment provider's management portal (such as the Stripe Customer Portal). After cancellation, paid features remain available until the end of the current billing period. Pro-rated refunds for mid-period cancellation are not provided as a general rule. Details are set forth in the Refund Policy.

The Enterprise plan includes a one-month grace period after cancellation. During the grace period, the service remains available and class data may be exported (in ZIP format). After the grace period ends, the account transitions to the Free plan.

15.6 AI Features (BYOK)

DigiCode's AI features operate under a BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) model using API keys for AI providers (such as Google Gemini, OpenAI, or Anthropic) that the user has separately contracted.

• API keys are stored only within the user's browser and are not transmitted to or stored on our servers.
• AI inference requests are sent directly from the user's browser to the AI provider; we do not act as an intermediary.
• Contractual relationships and fees with the AI provider are between the user and that provider; we are not involved.
• When using a local LLM, no external communication occurs.

15.7 Class Management Features (Enterprise Plan)

Administrators on the Enterprise plan (such as teachers at educational institutions) may create and manage classes. The administrator is responsible for obtaining consent for use from the student, the student's guardian, or the educational institution's responsible party.

Classes have an expiration date. Upon expiration, the class and its associated data are automatically deleted. Before deletion, we provide prior notice to the administrator (seven days and one day in advance) and an opportunity to preserve data through the export feature.

15.8 User Data

Copyright in projects saved by users on DigiCode belongs to the user. Upon account deletion, data associated with that user is promptly deleted.

15.9 Open Source and Trademarks

The client-side software of DigiCode is released under the GNU Affero General Public License Version 3 (AGPL-3.0). The name and logo "DigiCode" are our trademarks.

15.10 Disclaimer

DigiCode is provided "as-is." Use of DigiCode and the writing of generated code to microcontrollers is at the user's own risk. We disclaim all liability for any damages arising therefrom.