16-Year-Old High School Student Crafts a Foldable Smartphone by Hand! 3D-Printed Case Draws 5.3 Million Views on Bilibili

In February 2025, a first-year high school student from Yiling High School in Yichang, Hubei, named Lan Bowen, sparked a technological sensation on Bilibili with his self-made vertically outward-folding smartphone, crafted using a combination of manual assembly and 3D printing. Within just two weeks, his video titled "A Casually Made Vertically Outward-Folding Smartphone" garnered 5.3 million views and 450,000 likes, even prompting an official response from Vivo, which hailed his ingenuity and eagerly anticipated more of his creations. South Polar Bear observed that this young innovator’s groundbreaking endeavor not only showcased the boundless potential of 3D printing technology but also underscored the thriving vitality of grassroots innovation.  

Thinking Outside the Box: The Birth of a Vertically Outward-Folding Smartphone  

Lan Bowen’s inspiration stemmed from a bold challenge to an untapped niche in the market. He noticed that most foldable smartphones featured either horizontal inward/outward folds or vertical inward folds, yet there was a conspicuous absence of a vertically outward-folding design. Determined to bridge this gap, he turned to 3D printing technology to bring his concept to life.  

Low-Cost Innovation: Building a Foldable Phone on a Budget. With a budget of just 2,000 yuan, Lan purchased a second-hand Vivo X70 and a 3D printer, using PETG carbon fiber material to fabricate the phone’s outer shell. Other components were sourced from online purchases and salvaged from old mobile phones dismantled at home.  

Overcoming Technical Hurdles: Mastering Flexible Display Separation. The most formidable challenge lay in separating the flexible screen. Through repeated trials, he heated the display to 75°C and used a tungsten wire to detach the glass cover. After six failed attempts, he finally obtained a usable panel. The hinge mechanism was repurposed from a Samsung Z Flip3, while the battery was replaced with a smaller-capacity unit from an iPhone 13 mini to better accommodate the device’s structure.  

Functional Testing. The final prototype supported 5G connectivity, calls, gaming, and various applications. When folded, the device measured 16mm in thickness, reducing to just 8mm when unfolded. Though its appearance remained somewhat rough, it functioned seamlessly.  

3D Printing as an Enabler: From a ‘Modeling Enthusiast’ to a ‘DIY Master’  

Lan Bowen’s journey with 3D printing began a year ago when he used his saved-up allowance to purchase a desktop 3D printer. From that moment, he immersed himself in CAD modeling software, dedicating his free time to honing his skills. Designing the phone’s casing required meticulous measurements and numerous parameter adjustments. The trial-and-error process consumed two full rolls of PETG filament (roughly 120 yuan in cost), with success only arriving on the third roll.  

His mother revealed that Lan had been fascinated with crafting since childhood, teaching himself to assemble computers during middle school. Despite coming from an average working-class family, his parents wholeheartedly supported his passion. “If he broke a screen, we would just buy another one,” she said. This nurturing environment provided fertile ground for his "garage-style innovation." As Yan Wenlin, Secretary-General of the Wuhan Invention Association, remarked, "Many great Silicon Valley companies were born in garages—Lan Bowen’s bedroom serves as his personal innovation lab."  

A Promising Future: From ‘Number One’ to Infinite Possibilities  

With a name phonetically resembling "Number One," Lan Bowen has already set his sights on a future in engineering, aspiring to delve into mechanical manufacturing and 3D printing, with the ultimate goal of creating even greater technological marvels. His journey serves as a testament to the notion that innovation knows no age or resource constraints—armed with nothing more than a 3D printer and an insatiable curiosity, a young mind can push the boundaries of technological advancement.  

This extraordinary case not only provides an inspiring model for young innovators but also reaffirms that 3D printing is becoming a pivotal tool for personal innovation. The world eagerly awaits more "Lan Bowens" to harness creativity and technology, writing new chapters in China’s homegrown "garage legend."  

(Sourced from Three Gorges Daily, Jimu News, Bilibili, and other outlets.)