Illinois MakerLab - Empowering Innovations through 3D-Printed Cases

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Have you ever wonder what 3D printing can contribute to innovations involving electronics? Illinois MakerLab has the answer.

Recently, Illinois MakerLab was involved in printing cases for a maker Jordan Bodway. Jordan is the project manager for the LittleBeats Device Development Project at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The LittleBeats device is a mobile sensing device that collects heart rate, audio, and motion data. The intended users of the device are children and their parents. The device is made out of electronics parts, and here is where 3D printing becomes helpful for the device.

The electronics need to be protected during their use and ensure the device is not breaking due to the electronics breaks during the usage. A 3D printed case can provide the necessary protection to the electronics. Jordan’s project team member mentions, the case protects the electronics and allows interaction with children and their parents without breaking the electronics inside, and it benefits the project by allowing data to be gathered directly from the subjects outside of a lab environment.

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Meet the Maker - Mengyang Li

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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!

Stay tuned for MakerLab updates by subscribing to our newsletter, liking us on Facebook, or following us on Snapchat(uimakerlab),  Twitter or Instagram. Want to be featured in a blog post? If you have an interesting story that you would like to tell about making at the lab, share it with us by emailing UIMakerLab@Illinois.edu!