Mechanical Engineering Portfolio

Shing Kai Lai

Mechanical Engineer focused on robotics, additive manufacturing, and AI.

I design, build, program, and validate robotic manufacturing systems—from mechanical hardware and material processing to motion control and engineering validation.

View My Resume Explore My Work

Selected Project

Vibration-Assisted 3D Printing for In-Space Construction

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Research Assistant · Co-author

Large brick-like, cylindrical, and lattice granular structures produced by vibration-assisted 3D printing

Developed a vibration-assisted coaxial extrusion process for printing raw granular materials into large-scale structures. Controlled vibration regulates particle flow, a printable sheath stabilizes deposition, and post-print infiltration consolidates the porous preform.

Research output Co-authored “Vibrational 3D Printing of Granular Materials Toward In-Space Construction”, submitted to Advanced Materials.

19Outlets demonstrated

400 × 210 × 60 mmLarge-format structure

≈162 MPaMaximum reported compressive strength

My Contributions

From material preparation to robotic fabrication

Prepared epoxy-based printable materials using a Thinky ARV-310P planetary mixer, centrifuge, and pneumatic dispensing equipment.
Collaborated on a multi-outlet coaxial printhead using SolidWorks, SLA prototyping, and CNC machining.
Generated MATLAB toolpaths and programmed a three-axis dispensing robot and a Rainbow Robotics RB16-900 six-axis robotic arm.
Supported large-format fabrication and evaluated printed composites using mechanical testing and X-ray micro-CT.

Hands-on Evidence

Built, programmed, and tested in the lab

These short demonstrations show the benchtop printing process, coordinate-driven robotic motion, and my direct work with the manufacturing platform.

Process demonstration Small-scale V3DP printing Benchtop proof-of-process showing the deposition of a multilayer granular structure.

Programming demonstration Coordinate-driven robotic motion The robotic arm executes programmed motion through user-defined coordinates, demonstrating path generation and robot control.

Shing Kai Lai working beside a Rainbow Robotics robotic arm in the manufacturing laboratory — Hands-on engineering **Direct system integration** Working directly with the Rainbow Robotics platform used in the large-scale manufacturing setup.

Diagram of vibration-assisted coaxial 3D printing and post-print infiltration of granular materials — **Process architecture**Granular feedstock preparation, vibration-controlled coaxial deposition, and post-print infiltration.

Robotic vibration module and coaxial extruder controlling granular flow inside a printhead — **Robotic extrusion system**The vibration module regulates granular flow while the coaxial sheath stabilizes deposition.

X-ray micro-CT reconstructions and compression test curves for infiltrated granular composites — **Engineering validation**X-ray micro-CT and compression testing quantify internal architecture and mechanical performance.

Printed granular structures designed for impact, thermal, and electromagnetic functions — **Functional structures**Different infiltrants enable impact resistance, thermal insulation, and electromagnetic shielding.

About

I build physical systems and make them work.

I am currently pursuing a Master of Mechanical Engineering at Rice University after earning my bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

My experience spans mechanical design, additive manufacturing, robotics, material characterization, and AI-driven engineering. I enjoy taking projects from CAD and experimental planning through fabrication, programming, troubleshooting, and testing.