Ipfi Munakisi

Completed Final-year Mechatronics Engineering studies complete with Work-integrated-learning with Engineers Without Boaders in collaboration with CPUT & MIT; (graduation ceremony April 2026); I hold strong theoretical knowledge and hands-on project experience. Leveraging mechatronics’ system-level integration of mechanical, electrical, and software domains to simplify complexity, accelerate innovation, and optimize cost efficiency in intelligent systems. Passionate about creating novelty at the intersection of technologies, enhanced by full-stack LAMP development (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) and user-centric design.

Now with mechatronics, aptitudes include automating hardware layers with software layers.

Key Highlights

· Awarded the Lux Fiat Award for integrity, collaboration, and self-driven initiatives in interdisciplinary settings.

· Technical Portfolio: CAD modeling, automation technologies (sensors/actuators/computers), programming, and other technical aptitudes. Available at https://munakisi.com/mechatronics.

· Web Development & Design Portfolio:

https://munakisi.com/development-design

· Language-Agnostic Approach: Prioritizing problem-solving over tools—whether designing embedded systems or scalable web apps.

Ready to contribute technical rigor and adaptability to cross-functional engineering teams, driving business objectives forward.

Positioning: Ubiquitous engineering roles.

Passion: Mechatronic systems

1. Engineering

 

1.1 Engineers Without Boarders with CPUT & MIT (July-December 2025)

Title: Mechatronics Lead - Work Integrated Learning

Working with Engineers Without Boarders in collaboration with CPUT & MIT for work integrated learning necessary for mechatronics graduation, and also under the auspices of the mechatronics coordinator, I worked in various teams and projects, learning tenets of SDG aligned innovation and entrepreneurship and took classes from MIT.

Some of the projects include:

-PET plastic 3D filament maker pultrusion Systems. Took lead on the mechatronics from CAD design, to electrical & Electronics, Control System, Simulation, and prototyping. We make filament for 3d printing using plastic bottles of type PET.

Fusion360, SOLIDWORKS, MATLAB, SIMULINK, Proteous, TinkerCad

- Trailer project: Responsible for all CAD designs, available at

• other:

 

1.2 Cape Peninsula University of Technology | CPUT

1.2.1 Title: Computer Engineering Mentor/Tutor in Mechatronics Department | CPUT (2022)

Worked in the mechanical and mechatronics department tutoring mechatronics students Computer Engineering focusing on the C programming language (from algorithms to flowcharts to programming), holding live and recorded online classes, and doing embedded system related administrative work including marking student papers.

1.2.2 Title: STUDENT (Dip. Mechanical Engineering in Mechatronics) | CPUT (2022-2025)

 

4 years of taking leadership or de facto leadership in terms of Technology and engineering design and development of most mechatronics university projects.

PROJECTS

Proficient in, among other:

PLC

Siemens TIA Portal, OPENPLC, Ladder Logic

PLC Lab simulation station projects simulating real-world projects include (PLC & HMI):

· (Process Control & Industrial Networking 63%)

Bottling; Mixing; Reactor; Filtration, Elevator etc.

· (Industrial Automation 57%)

Automatic Bottling and Capping System, Traffic lights

CAD

(For Rapid prototyping, additive manufacturing, and manufacturing)

SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Fusion 360, Inventor

· (Strength of Materials 50%)

Roller Conveyor Design;  

· (Mechanical Engineering Design 60%)

Home Wind Turbine (CAD/ELECTRONIC)

ELECTRONIC / ELECTRICAL / EMBEDDED

· (Mechanical Engineering Design 60%)

Pap Cooking Device (Microcontroller-based)

· (Mechatronics Industrial Project 66%)

MANUAL: Automotive High Beam System with Dashboard LED Indicator

· (Embedded Systems 71%)

Embedded Systems 7-Segment LED Display with Keypad Input powered by a PIC16F887A microcontroller;

OTHER

· (Applied Strength of Materials 54%)

Beam Section Design Optimization. (Report attached);

· (Engineering Management 78%)

Academic article on ‘Leadership’

Mock company structure

HVAC related

· Thermo-Fluids 72%, Thermo-Fluids III 58%

Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics

(Refrigeration, thermodynamic cycles: Carnot, Rankine, Otto, Diesel, and Brayton cycles)

· (Mechatronics Industrial Project 66%)

Mobile Fridge Project

2. Programming/Web/Design

2.1 The Lifestyle Assassins

Title: Deputy Head of Technology | (Oct. 2016 – Nov. 2017)

IT and web-assets of the company, including company websites, information management, not limited to copywriting, graphic design, and handling social media pages. (see recommendation letter from employer)

2.2 Autodidect (2018 – )

9 years Linux hosting webmaster and WordPress website and plugin developer. I understand webmaster tools, troubleshooting, and designing to desired aesthetic.

· Design and development 

· Web Apps

Invoicing System ()

Responsible for Full-Stack Web Development on a project built on the LAMP stack on top of WordPress using PHP, JavaScript (including jQuery, Ajax, and html2canvas, jsPDF), HTML, CSS, Elementor, a child theme, and Google APIs.

· Plugin development

 

 

3. Other

3.1 Nkhensani Johannah Trust

Title: Property Manager | (2021-2022)

 

Directed operations and maximized value for a R500,000+ trust property: Managed renovations, tenancy (acquisition & contracts), maintenance, and municipal accounts. Resolved complex municipal issues via expedited negotiations directly with Trust Attorney Khomotso Makhura, of Makhura, attorneys, notaries & conveyancers. Orchestrated the coordinated sale between stakeholders, delivering a 7% net gain to the Trust within 11 months.

 

 

 

 

3.2 Spec-Savers

Title: Job Shadowing an Optometrist| (Sept. - Oct. 2011)

Under the auspices of Khanyisa Education Centre.

Cape Peninsula University of Technology | CPUT

Dip. Mechanical Engineering in Mechatronics

 Nov 2025 (Graduation date: 9 April 2026)

· 65.3% average

Distinctions

Engineering Mathematics 75%, Applied Mathematics 77%, Computer Engineering 81%, Engineering Management 78%.

B+s

Embedded Systems 71%, Physical Science 70%, Thermo-Fluids 72%, Global Engineering Studies 74%

Bs

Computer Aided Manufacturing 69%, Mechanical Engineering Manufacturing 67%, Professional Communication 67%, Mechatronics Industrial Project 66%, Process Control & Industrial Networking 63%, Control Systems 64%, Electrical and Electronics Engineering 63%, Engineering Drawing 62%, Mechatronics Design 61%, Mechanical Engineering Design 60%.

Cs

Thermo-Fluids III 58%, Industrial Automation 57%, Engineering Mechanics 56%, Mechanics of Machines 53%, Applied Strength of Materials 54%, Strength of Materials 50%.

University of Johannesburg | UJ

Degree: BCom Finance (NQF 7; 2016-2017)

· First-year program

· Transcript: (Attached)

Commercial Law 1A 55%

Business Management 1A 57%

Commercial Law 1B 79%

Business Management 1B 57%

Economics 1A 62%

Accounting 1A 58%

Economics 1B 57%

Financial Management 1B 56%

I studied quintessential business skills for a year and left to pursue software technologies which ended in mechatronics.

Khanyisa Education Centre (2010-2012)

Grade: Fux Fiat; 44 APS excl. maths paper 3 (47 incl.)

Transcript

Life Orientation 94%

Accounting 74%

Xitsonga Home Lang. 83%

Physics 71%.

English First Add. Lang. 80%

Mathematics 67%

Life Science 79%

Mathematics Paper 3 40%

Sports: Chess, cricket, athletics, swimming, drama, poetry

Awards

2012: Lux Fiat award (ceremony highlight)

Given to only one outgoing grade 12 learner for best representing the values the combined school stands for.

The criteria verbatim were that the learner had to have the following qualities (Soft Skills);

“Be capable of independent thought, emotions and behavior; Be dependable and trustworthy; Be non-pretentious and genuine; Show integrity and have a good realistic self-esteem; Have a broad outward approach to life instead of being pre-occupied by one-self; Be sensitive to others and willing to respond to their needs, be it on an interpersonal, community or environmental level; See life as a challenge; Have a willingness to tackle and persevere”

2010: Best learner in English Home Language.

2011: 'Boarder of the Year Award’ (for camaraderie at the school's hostel).

2011: ‘National Science Olympiad Certificate’ (26th place in range 40%-49% in the 48th National Science Olympiad (Life Science)).

2010-2012: I hold too many merit certifications to list them here, some of which include: -Positive contribution to Mentor Group; -Willingness to participate in mentor activities; -Sound work done on school newspaper.

Magazine Committee Member (2011)

Editor (newspaper), The Beat (2011–2012)

Chairperson of Mentor Group (2012)

Attached is the motivational letter from the mentor teacher.

Sports, arts, and culture

· Table Tennis Team Limpopo: (2006 – 2010)

-Gold Medalist (O.R Tambo games 2006/2007)

-Western Cape national level certificate of participation (2010)

· “Artistic Drawing” (Hlanganani region, Limpopo)

• ‘First Best Performance’ certificate (Senior Phase, 2008)
• ‘Third Best Performance’ certificate (Foundation phase, 2007)