Meet the Maker - Mengyang Li
3D printing has been around for more than 3 decades, but the technology is still relatively new to some people. Illinois MakerLab not only provides the opportunity for people with experienced to print for education and prototyping, but it also provides the opportunity for people to experience the technology through printing something they love.
University of Illinois student Mengyang Li came to Illinois MakerLab with no prior knowledge of 3D printing. She originally came to experience the MakerLab and printed a Harry Potter keychain. Upon experiencing the 3D printing technology, Mengyang decided to print a larger item related to Lord of Rings as a Valentine gift for his boyfriend because he is a big fan of Lord of Rings. She printed the Minas Tirith, which is a white castle in Lord of Rings.
The Minas Tirith model is separated into two parts. The top part is a hollow castle, and the bottle part is a light stand. Together, the maker can insert the LED light bulb inside and make the 3D printed Minas Tirith become a table lamp!
After the print finished, we conducted an interview with Mengyang. She talked about how she learned about the Illinois MakerLab and her experience with the MakerLab in a greater detail. She also mentioned that she would like to print the Alma Statue in the future. Check out the following videos for more information!
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