UII Industrial Engineering Students Turn Food Waste into Valuable Resources

Another proud achievement comes from the Industrial Engineering students of the Faculty of Industrial Technology, Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII). This time, a team of Industrial Engineering students successfully secured 1st place at LEVITASI FTI UII 2025 (Technology and Innovation Competition), which was organized by the Student Executive Board of FTI UII. Through this achievement, the students once again demonstrated their excellence in innovation and technology.

BIOPELTER: Biomass Pellet Converter

Under the sub-theme Circular Economy & Waste Management, the three-member team introduced an innovation called BIOPELTER: a machine designed to convert food waste into biomass pellets that can be used as animal feed.

The idea was driven by data showing that food waste dominates national waste generation. Seeing this, the team identified a major gap in the current organic waste management system that has yet to be properly addressed.

“So far, food waste is often just left unused or even burned. Through this innovation, we want to give food waste a second life by turning it into pellet material that can be sold by waste banks,” explained Arrouf, one of the team members.

According to the team, BIOPELTER was designed not only to improve food waste processing but also to create economic value for the community.

The Journey Behind BIOPELTER

Arrouf also shared the story behind the development process. He revealed that the competition journey was filled with technical challenges that pushed the team to constantly learn and adapt.

“We had to adjust and learn many technical aspects of the innovation we were building. But we managed to get through it all with consistency, perseverance, and strong teamwork,” said Arrouf.

The team applied the Agile Method approach throughout the project, which helped them continuously refine the product. During the process, they also received guidance from Dr. Dwi Adi Purnama, S.T., a lecturer in Industrial Engineering at UII, who served as their supervising mentor.

Hopes and Messages

For the team, this win is not the final destination, but a starting point for something bigger. The long journey taught them the importance of empathy, courage, and believing in their own ideas.

“At first, some people doubted this idea. But if we don’t believe in the product we’re developing, then who will?” Arrouf shared.

Closing their journey at LEVITASI FTI UII 2025, the team encouraged other students not to hesitate in joining competitions and creating innovations.

“Empathize deeply with the problem. Don’t let your solution become just a ‘mixed’ product without clear direction. Make sure it truly fits the problem and the target market. Do it with full dedication.”

This achievement proves that innovation built on empathy and courage can take UII Industrial Engineering students further. Not only in competitions, but also in addressing real issues faced by society.

Syawarani Gayatri