Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-8-2026
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Engineering
First Advisor
Denise Theobald-Roberts
Second Advisor
Rick Hollander
Third Advisor
Scott Kilpatrick
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
The Haley Barbour Center for Manufacturing Excellence (CME) at the University of Mississippi challenges students to manufacture a product and put forth a balanced manufacturing line in a senior capstone project. The chosen product was a concealed shelf, or a shelf with a hidden compartment. The team aimed to design a product, formulate a project plan, analyze the market, conduct financial analysis, develop a prototype, establish a manufacturing process, and demonstrate that process in two production runs. The team used tools such as Computer Aided Design (CAD), market surveys, jig creation, and line balancing to accomplish these tasks. After two production runs, the team was able to identify improvements leading to a balanced line, suitable for a real manufacturing process. Several concealed shelves were built, with the design improving through each model. The project demonstrates how to bring a product idea to life and through the manufacturing process establish a balanced manufacturing line suitable for production. This project also served to prepare team members for collaborative problem-solving efforts in future careers.
Recommended Citation
Freeman, Emma R., "The Design and Manufacturing Process of the Concealed Shelf" (2026). Honors Theses. 3450.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3450
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