Integrated Design Project (MFGA 3300) Showcase Day by Manufacturing Engineering Students

By, Dr. Adibah Amir, Department of Manufacturing and Materials Engineering, Kulliyyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia

Innovation, teamwork, and real-world relevance were on full display at the Integrated Design Project (MFGA 3300) Showcase Day on 4^th of June 2025, held by the Department of Manufacturing and Materials Engineering at the Kulliyyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).

The showcase featured six groups of third-year Manufacturing Engineering students who presented their final prototypes after a semester-long journey through product design, system integration, and performance evaluation. The event aimed to bridge academic learning with practical engineering and entrepreneurial thinking.

Adding weight to the occasion, external examiners from Perodua Manufacturing Sdn Bhd and BI Technologies Corporation Sdn Bhd were invited to evaluate the projects, offering students an invaluable industry perspective on their work.

Each group was assessed based on a comprehensive rubric that covered:

• Safety considerations

• User friendliness

• Test and verification methodology

• Business model development

• Cost analysis

• Performance of the prototype

This course required students not only to build a functional prototype but also to think like engineers in a real production environment, where safety, feasibility, and market viability matter.

Projects ranged from automated robot inspection systems and energy-efficient devices to IoT-enabled production solutions. Notably, Group 4, supervised by the author, demonstrated an automatic bee bread processor for a local SME in the apiculture sector. Combining dual functions in processing bee bread; precision heating and automated grinding, to ensure consistent quality and a hygienic process, producing fine, uniformly dried bee bread as the final product.

Bee bread, a fermented pollen product created by stingless bees within the hive, is increasingly recognized as a functional food . While the global bee bread market is valued at USD 228 million, Malaysia’s local SME sales for Kelulut honey and related products remain modest at RM33.6 million, highlighting significant untapped potential.

Group 4’s design incorporates several key innovations, which are portable rollers for flexible use, an enclosed chamber to reduce contamination risks, and an emergency shut-down mushroom switch for operator safety. The achievement of this prototype lies in its ability to reduce drying process from 12 hours to 4 hours for a 1-kilogram batch, a remarkable efficiency gain compared to standard food dehydrator. This invention eliminates the need for human intervention, marking a leap forward in food processing automation for niche industries.

Beyond academic grading, the event succeeded in fostering meaningful conversations among students, lecturers, and industry experts, reinforcing IIUM’s mission to produce holistic engineers grounded in both theory and practical relevance. The event was not only a technical success but also a spiritual one, aligning with IIUM’s Tawhidic epistemology, integrating knowledge with ethics, purpose, and service to society. Students were not merely building machines; they were solving real problems with accountability, sustainability, and compassion.

As the semester concludes, the MFGA 3300 showcase has once again proven to be more than an academic checkpoint. It is a crucible where engineering talent is tested, refined, and inspired, a launchpad for ethical innovators who will shape Malaysia’s manufacturing future.***