Mochamad Juwildia Prayoga

Sanggar Indah Banjaran

Bandung Regency, 40377, West Java, Indonesia

April 12, 2023

Admission Committee of University of Cassino and Southern Lazio

Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering
University of Cassino and Southern Lazio
Via G. Di Biasio 43, 03043, Cassino (FR), Italia

Dear Admission Committee,

Mechanical Engineering runs the world. As one of the broadest engineering disciplines,
Mechanical Engineering is responsible for improving the quality of life in many areas. The impact
can be seen everywhere, it would not be possible without the efforts of the people who make
innovations through research and development (R&D) in this discipline to solve the problems in
our day-to-day life. As a mechanical engineering graduate, I am proud that I am one of those who
contribute to improving people’s lives. However, the R&D quality in the mechanical engineering
field in Indonesia still lags behind the other South East Asian countries according to the Indonesia
Ministry of Industry. It is caused by the high number of imported parts or products from foreign
firms, as a result of the low number of innovations and R&D done in Indonesia. I can confirm this
from my six years of involvement in this industry through study and professional work. The areas
where we do R&D are still quite limited, due to the narrow range of R&D knowledge and
experience. This situation motivated me to attend the MSc. Mechanical Engineering program at
the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, to gain an in-depth and broader knowledge in
mechanical design engineering needed for a career in a higher level of R&D work.
I completed my undergraduate study at the Polytechnic State of Bandung majoring in
Mechanical Engineering, with a focus on mechanical design and construction, in 2019 (GPA 3.31
out of 4.00). I did a volunteer job for my thesis project in a mushroom-farming local small
enterprise in the city of Cimahi, where most of the processes were done in traditional methods.
The sterilization process caught my attention, where the mushroom-growing mediums went
through a steaming process inside a container. An unpressurized container and firewood were
employed in the steaming process, thus it produced burning smoke and took 10 hours to make the
growing medium sterile from the germs. According to my research, the mushroom-growing
medium will be sterile after 1 hour of being put inside a steaming room with 20 psi steam pressure.
Therefore, I developed a steaming room that can withstand 20 psi steam pressure and a firetube
boiler to produce the steam. The system that I developed has successfully reduced the steaming
time down to one hour and eliminated the burning smoke from the sterilization process.
My undergraduate study also allowed me to learn through working on projects in major
industries, one of which is my internship project at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia, Ltd
(2017). I was responsible for improving the crankshaft raw material transfer process into the
machining line. I designed a material handling system, in which, I modified the existing dolly and
linked it with a conveyor extension to connect the machining line with the dolly that carried the
crankshaft raw material. This system worked semi-automatically with only one actuator, it
eliminated the need for an operator to do the transfer process. My undergraduate study at the
Polytechnic State of Bandung has equipped me with a strong foundation in mechanical design
engineering such as analytical, project planning, and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software
skills. Moreover, it has also shaped my way of thinking to solve problems around me with an
appropriate engineering approach. However, I am eager to familiarize myself with the latest design
methodologies, as well as new technologies and more advanced production facilities, which are
what the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio offer.
After graduating from my undergraduate study, I joined Pindad, Ltd (2021-present), a state-
owned company that produces military products like weapons, munitions, and military vehicles. I
am part of the Innovation Division engineering team, I worked on the development of the upper-
body construction of Pindad’s tactical vehicle prototype. I learn how each component of the
vehicle should be formed and constructed together in a way that will improve safety, performance,
and durability while keeping the production cost of the vehicle efficient. One of my fulfilments in
Pindad is that my design of the side-door construction produced less stress on the outer body of
the door and the side-body panel. Thus, it provided better durability than the prior version. Having
worked on those projects have further shaped my expertise in mechanical engineering.
Nevertheless, during my time at Pindad, I noticed that we relied so much on foreign manufacturers
for supplying many parts for the vehicle that we were developing and often halted the project. The
lack of expertise among the team's engineers and the number of research done in Pindad are the
two biggest factors that cause this problem. That is an obstacle that interrupts my growth in R&D
work and it motivates me to gain more advanced knowledge and experience in design and R&D
in an environment with cutting-edge innovations, technologies, and practice which the University
of Cassino and Southern Lazio provides.
The course’s curriculum, which focuses on strong design skills, has grown my desire to
apply to this course greatly. Not only it suits my passion and background, but also the opportunity
to gain experience from the actual project in Italian companies through the internship program is
something I do not want to miss. Moreover, studying at the University of Cassino and Southern
Lazio will allow me to develop myself further, I anticipate having the opportunity to grow in an
international setting through networking and connecting with people from other backgrounds,
which would be a really rewarding experience for me.
I am looking forward to studying MSc Mechanical Engineering at the University of
Cassino and Southern Lazio. I believe my educational background along with my professional
experience makes me a good candidate for this master's program. I am convinced this master's
program will give me the theoretical knowledge and practical skills I need to take my expertise to
a higher level and have a successful career in the mechanical design engineering field. I am very
fascinated to have the opportunity to study at your university. Thank you very much for
considering my application, and I look forward to your positive response.

Sincerely

Mochamad Juwildia Prayoga