The SIS designs and/or assists in designing, engineering and construction of specialized items that are not available commercially (e.g., tissue freezing apparatus, goniometers, Faraday cages, cell harvesters, surgical instruments, stereotaxic instruments, electrophoretic apparatus, radiation shields, wear testing devices, animal cannulae, behavioral mazes, NMR surface probes, environmental chambers, muscle chambers and holders, specimen holders, custom plastic chromatography racks, vacuum chambers, biopsy drills, photo and optical devices chemiluminescence detectors) and repairs malfunctioning mechanical laboratory equipment.

The SIS maintains machinery and precision tools that provide the capabilities of working with various metals (e.g., stainless and alloy steels, titanium, lead, platinum, brass, aluminum, copper, sheet metal), plastics (e.g., acrylic, acetate, acetal, polypropylene, polystyrene, nylon, PVC, teflon, polycarbonates, polyethylene, engineered plastics) wood, wood composites and machinable ceramics.

SIS is located in the basement of the Benjamin Goldberg Research Center (BGRC or 933 bldg.), 1940 W. Taylor St.,(N.E. corner of Damen and Taylor), room LL24. It is staffed by skilled Instrument Makers who will assist UIC staff and others in designing and/or fabrication of specialized items that are not commercially available.