Team Spotlight: Mingcun Lu

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Mingcun Lu is a product specialist for solidThinking in China. Mingcun developed a passion for industrial design early in her studies, while initially studying mechanical engineering. This combined background and expertise, coupled with her hunger for adventure and learning, has translated into an ideal contribution to the solidThinking team. Mingcun has helped proliferate interest in the unique qualities and benefits of solidThinking throughout China – and beyond, from her creative contributions, to her attention to detail, to her interest in connecting to others through photography and other digital and social media.

Q&A with Mingcun Lu

How long have you been working with solidThinking?

Three years.

Where do you feel your field/industrial design is headed?

Seven years ago I switched my major from mechanical engineering to ID. During these years, I witnessed a big evolution in the field of ID in China, and this evolution in part has change my mind a lot when it comes to industrial design.

The reason I began studying ID was very simple: I like drawing and creativity. At the beginning, I thought ID was a kind of art. But during more practice in real projects, I found that design, especially industrial design, is a rigorous and systematic discipline. It’s even one of the most important competitive differentiators for a company. I think every person should study a little about industrial design.

Today, the manufacturing industry in China has matured. While the phrase “made in China” can be seen in each corner of world, the Chinese government and many people have also begun knowing the value of “created in China.” For example, many enterprises have built their own research and development centers locally, and the government holds many platforms for communication and trade for industrial design, which shows how prosperous the field has become for the future of China. It’s an inevitable trend.

What do you feel is one of the biggest challenges in your field?

Today the needs of the marketplace have raised the requests made of industrial designers, especially in developing markets like China, where more and more comprehensive talents are required every day. Industrial designers are focusing on much more than “product,” but also on related aspects of design like design service, brand marketing, and more.

What is your fondest memory with solidThinking?

I was immediately drawn to solidThinking from the first moment I put my hands on it three years ago. I had never used software like it before. It allowed me to present my ideas so easily without complicated operations. I did quite a lot of concept design during that time using solidThinking. Designers always get a great sense of fulfillment when they create nice work.

In your personal opinion, what do you think is the most game-changing feature or benefit that solidThinking offers its users and why?

It must be the NURBS-based construction history. solidThinking combines two important features: history from CAD software and NURBS surfaces from CAID software. Early on in my career, I found that sometimes shapes were limited by the software I used and much of my time was always wasted on studying the software. But solidThinking is so easy to access, making the work highly efficient. Designers can spend more time on research, communication and exploration.

Can you share an interesting fact or anecdote about solidThinking users?

Last year, we began to introduce solidThinking to professionals working on the engineering side. To my surprise, many of the engineers we interacted with were most intrigued by solidThinking’s rendering capabilities. One of the engineers was so impressed that he took on an interest in ID after my training. Anytime we can help bridge the gap between design and engineering – that’s wonderful.

Where were you born?

I was born in Beijing, China.

Who is the most influential person(s) in your life?

My parents. They provided me a good, trusting environment where I could grow up following my interests and passion. Charity, honesty and modesty are the most important things I learned from them.

What was the last book that you read?

I'm reading a book called "Business Model Generation." It's a handbook which describes the design method of new business models. It's quite interesting because it's full of sketches and pictures. You can understand the concepts easily, regardless of whether or not you have a specific background in business. This approach also can be used in other design fields.

What are a few words that describe you?

Full of curiosity; obsessive with detail; and I love laughing.

What is your favorite electronic or technology gadget?

My compact digital camera. I put it in my pocket to record anything eye-catching.

What is your favorite place?

Beijing.

What is your pastime or hobby?

I love to read in my spare time.

Do you have a hidden talent and if so, what?

I’m good at sports that require a specific technique, like basketball, billiards, swimming and skiing. Skiing is my favorite. I plan to study snowboarding this year.

What is your favorite food?

Generally, Chinese food! But I’m full of passion to try everything when I visit a new place.

How do you want to be remembered?

I strive to become a knowledgeable person with great experience.

Thank you Mingcun

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