Witnessing Physical Product Design
Ariel Javelin (mpd2 '25) looks back at the highlights of touring the nation's leading hardtech and manufacturing innovation center.
Ariel Javelin (mpd2 '25) challenged herself by moving from Indonesia to the United States to attend Northwestern Engineering's Master of Product Design and Development Management (mpd2) program. She knew that while she’d be exposed to different opportunities than she was used to, the transition would be difficult.
That was exactly what she wanted.
"For me, a graduate program is about more than building expertise in familiar areas," Javelin said. "It’s an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, explore new fields, and unlearn old ways of thinking."
That is why Javelin was thrilled to participate in a behind-the-scenes tour of mHUB, a leading hardtech and manufacturing innovation center. She was a digital product manager prior to mpd2, so she looked forward to seeing physical product development firsthand.
She and seven of her classmates recently joined students from Northwestern's Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program and Northwestern's Master of Science in Engineering Design Innovation (EDI) program on a visit to mHUB's Chicago headquarters.
The mHUB facility is home to more than 80,000square feet of prototyping and manufacturing space. The center runs accelerator programs and provides research and development services to help the manufacturing and hardtech fields grow and thrive.
Hardtech requires knowledge of engineering and science as hardware and software are combined to solve a specific problem.
Since launching in 2017, the mHub community has launched more than 1,500 products.
"Visiting the mHUB office felt like stepping into a factory, with an astonishing number of tools and machines filling the space," Javelin said. "The setup highlighted how mHUB leverages its extensive resources to empower innovation efficiently."
The Northwestern students learned about the facility's operations, including its breadth of innovation sessions offered to the public. These events feature local entrepreneurs who offer practical advice and real-world examples of overcoming challenges in product development.
Javelin was particularly drawn to mHUB's 3D printing lab, which featured six different types of printers. The group saw a variety of printed products and learned how different materials impact the time it takes to print objects.
"The same shape, made from different materials, could result in significant differences in processing time," Javelin said. "Some took as little as three hours, while others required up to eight hours. It really highlighted the impact of material choice on production efficiency."
She also learned about unique mHUB partnerships — including with Northwestern and the Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation — that provide students with access to mHUB resources.
"With such extensive tools and machinery available, MPD2 students could find these resources invaluable for their capstone projects," Javelin said, "opening up new possibilities for innovation and hands-on learning."
Going behind-the-scenes at mHUB and learning about all it has to offer was a valuable opportunity for Javelin, who appreciated the challenge of learning something new.
"I’m really thankful for the opportunity mHUB provided," she said. "It was a fantastic learning experience for students to gain practical knowledge in engineering and physical product development."