Collage of Engineering

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Fall 2022

Senior Design Project Report

Design And Manufacturing of Automatic

Plant Trimming System

Team # 2

In partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for The

Degree of Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Team Members

Student Name Student ID

1 Taif Al-Hashim 201801463
(Team Leader)

2 Jinan Al-Munif 201801921

3 Dana Al-Arfaj 201801278

Project Advisors:

Dr. Feroz Shaik

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Table of Contents

Abstract............................................................................................................................................ 4

Acknowledgement ........................................................................................................................... 5

List of acronyms .............................................................................................................................. 6

List of Figures.................................................................................................................................. 7

List of tables .................................................................................................................................... 8

Chapter 1: Introduction.................................................................................................................... 9

1.1. Project Definition .......................................................................................................... 11

1.2. Project Objective ........................................................................................................... 11

1.3. Project Specification ...................................................................................................... 12

1.4. Project Application ........................................................................................................ 12

Chapter 2: Literature Review ........................................................................................................ 13

2.1. Project Background ........................................................................................................... 14

2.2. Previous Work ............................................................................................................... 16

2.2.1. Theoretical Design of System ............................................................................... 20

2.3. Current Work ................................................................................................................. 22

Chapter 3: System Design Methodology ....................................................................................... 24

3.1. Design Constrains and Design Methodology ................................................................ 24

3.1.1. Geometrical Constraints .............................................................................................. 24

1
 3.1.2. Sustainability ............................................................................................................... 24

3.1.3. Environmental ............................................................................................................. 24

3.1.4. Social ........................................................................................................................... 24

3.1.5. Economic ..................................................................................................................... 25

3.1.6. Ethical Consideration .................................................................................................. 25

3.1.7. Design Methodology ................................................................................................... 25

3.2. Engineering Design Standards ...................................................................................... 28

3.3. Design Specification ...................................................................................................... 28

3.4. Product Subsystems and Selection of Components....................................................... 29

3.5. Economic Evaluation of the Project .............................................................................. 29

3.6. Theory and Theoretical Calculations............................................................................. 30

Chapter 4: Project Management .................................................................................................... 32

4.1. Project Plan ......................................................................................................................... 32

4.2. Contribution of Team Members ......................................................................................... 33

4.3. Project Execution Monitoring ............................................................................................ 35

4.4. Challenges and Decision Making ....................................................................................... 35

Chapter 5: Project Analysis ........................................................................................................... 36

5.1. Impact of Engineering Solution.......................................................................................... 36

5.2. Contemporary Issues Addressed ........................................................................................ 36

Chapter 6: Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 37

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Reference ....................................................................................................................................... 38

Appendix ....................................................................................................................................... 40

3
 Abstract

As part of the thesis, students will do literature research on the most recent developments in

automated trimming systems and conduct an analysis of the ways in which various process factors

affect the effectiveness of automatic trimming systems. The design and production of an automated

trimming system are both discussed in further detail inside the thesis. In addition to this, the last

section of the article provides an evaluation of how effective the automated trimming system is as

well as suggestions for more improvements. The value of cooperation in this endeavor was most

apparent in the group's capacity to successfully convey concepts and participate in practical

activities. This skill was a direct result of the group's ability to work together. Because of the

insights that the team obtained from the literature research, they were able to have a better

understanding of some of the factors that influence the effectiveness of autonomous trimming

systems. On the other hand, the experiment was essential in illuminating the fact that maintaining

the rotors' ideal speed resulted in an increase in their production. Not only did the activities assist

students improve their technical knowledge, but they also helped them become more effective

communicators and members of teams.

Keywords:

Shrubs, rotor, frame, rotational speed, trimming

4
 Acknowledgement

To our advisor, who has been there for us and helped us out all semester long, we are eternally

grateful. We'd also like to formally thank everyone on the team for the significant contributions

they made to the project's final outcome.

5
 List of acronyms

IoT Internet of Things

DC Direct Current

6
 List of Figures

Figure 1 shows the automatic plant trimming system (Li, Ma et al. 2021) ................................... 9

Figure 2 shows the components of the rotary system (Li, Ma et al. 2021) ................................... 10

Figure 3 shows the component of the knife system (Li, Ma et al. 2021) ...................................... 10

Figure 4 shows the automatic grass cutter (Alam, Singh et al.) .................................................... 18

Figure 5 shows the reciprocating motion mechanism of the moving blade ................................. 20

Figure 6 shows the arc-shape knife’s structure ............................................................................. 22

Figure 7 shows the engineering drawing for the wheel ................................................................. 26

Figure 8 shows the engineering drawing for the knife .................................................................. 26

Figure 9 shows the engineering drawing for the Frame ................................................................ 27

Figure 10 shows the engineering drawing for the assembly of system ......................................... 27

Figure 11 shows the components of the trimming system ............................................................ 29

Figure 12 shows the Solidworks model of knife blades ................................................................ 40

Figure 13 shows the Solidworks model of cover .......................................................................... 41

Figure 14 shows the Solidworks model of motor .......................................................................... 42

Figure 15 shows the Solidworks model of frame .......................................................................... 43

Figure 16 shows the Solidworks model of assembly .................................................................... 44

7
 List of Tables

Table 1: gives the specification of the automatic plant trimming system ..................................... 12

Table 2: gives standards ................................................................................................................ 28

Table 3: gives the design specifications ........................................................................................ 28

Table 4: gives the Rotating Speed of rotary Base ......................................................................... 30

Table 5: Gives the Gantt Chart ...................................................................................................... 32

Table 6: gives the Assigned Task to Members .............................................................................. 33

8
 Chapter 1: Introduction

The efficiency and scalability that a plant trimmer automates may bring to the business is one of

its most appealing features. Trimming machines of today's generation can provide results that are

nearly identical to those achieved by hand, but at a considerably faster rate, allowing for more

uniformity and greater gains in operational efficiency and processing capacity. This is fantastic

news for grow businesses hoping to develop at the same rate as the market.

Figure 1: shows the automatic plant trimming system (Li, Ma et al. 2021)

Automated trimming machines boost productivity in a number of ways, including by decreasing

the likelihood of human error and staff problems. Finding a dependable hand-trimming team can

be the most challenging part of harvesting. Although some businesses may find success in this

area, many others face challenges such as low morale among workers, absenteeism, and varying

levels of quality and consistency in their output. There may be processing delays and

administrative hassles as a result of all this. All of these issues may be avoided with the help of a

9
trimming machine, which is trustworthy and will pay for itself in a few harvests at most (Yadav,

Patel et al. 2022).

Overall, the need for more modern horticultural machinery is growing in tandem with the

expanding horticulture sector. The purpose of this research is to develop and evaluate a shrub form

trimming machine that can replace manual labor in this time-consuming process. The experimental

assessment procedure and design methodology described herein can be used to advance the level

of mechanization and automation in the development of form trimming machines for horticulture

plants (Li, Ma et al. 2021).

Figure 2: shows the components of the rotary system (Li, Ma et al. 2021)

Figure 3 shows the component of the knife system (Li, Ma et al. 2021)
10
1.1. Project Definition

An automated plant trimming system's design, manufacturing, assembly, and testing will be the

primary focuses of this project. The modern generation of trimming machines may provide results

that are almost comparable to those produced by hand, but at a much quicker pace. This enables

more uniform outcomes as well as larger increases in organizational effectiveness and processing

capacity. The tedious task of manually pruning the nation's plant harvest in preparation for sale

required seasonal employees to come in droves each year. This very time-consuming procedure

is essential, but it is difficult to replicate since there is often a substantial turnover in the workforce

from one season to the next. Even if the most well-trained hand trimmers are able to get the most

out of high-quality horticulture in terms of shelf appeal, automated plant trimming has gained a

significant amount of progress in recent years. In order to complete the project, intricate modeling

software such as Solidworks was first used, and then manufacturing was carried out.

1.2. Project Objective

The project aims to accomplish the following goals, which are considered to be among its most

crucial characteristics:

I. To study and review the literature for the automatic plant trimming system

II. To develop the design for the automatic plant trimming system

III. To determine the design constraints of automatic plant trimming system

IV. To develop and fabricate the porotype for the automatic plant trimming system

V. To perform the verification and testing of the prototype

VI. To establish the software to control the machinery

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1.3. Project Specification

The project specifications are provided in the table 1:

Table 1: gives the specification of the automatic plant trimming system

Parameter Values (Unit)

Overall Dimensions (length x width x height) 700 x 750 x 1100 mm

Total weight 49 kg

Knife system weight 4.5 kg

Maximum Plant Size 800 mm

Power 24 V DC

Running Time 4-8 h

Trimming Height 400-800 mm

1.4. Project Application

These automatic trimmers can be used for more than just hedging. They are also helpful for

clearing away thickets of weeds, grass, and bushes to shape them. In order to cut, trim, or prune

plants in the garden and yard, automatic trimmers are essential gardening equipment. Because of

the wide variety of Automatic trimmers available, consumers can pick the one that best suits their

needs. They can be powered by electricity or battery supply.

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 Chapter 2: Literature Review

Agriculture is essential to human existence since it produces the food, feed, and fiber we need to

survive. To achieve low-input, high-efficiency, and long-term agricultural output, precision

agriculture is used to apply adequate treatments at the proper place and time. One of the

fundamental tenets of precision agriculture is the use of automation and robots to both reduce

agricultural waste and increase crop yields. Precision agriculture is the use of cutting-edge

technology, particularly automation and robotics, to manage farms with pinpoint accuracy. Recent

decades have seen a lot of study into the potential uses of mobile robots in farming, particularly in

planting, inspecting, spraying, and harvesting. Similarly, the proper cutting and trimming leads to

the proper growth of the plants and trees (Mahmud, Abidin et al. 2020).

An essential measure of a city's ecology and quality of life is its green area per capita. One study

found that China was responsible for 25% of the global increase in plant cover from 2000 to 2017.

It was estimated by the (Chen, Park et al. 2019) that by 2020, the global average urban green space

per resident would have expanded from 23.14 square meters in 2000 to 40.47 square meters in

2020 by the National Remote Sensing Center of China. The fast growth of urban green spaces

(parks, gardens) has led to a surge in the horticulture business and a rise in the need for ancillary

technologies and infrastructure. Horticulturists routinely engage in activities like pruning and

trimming. In the world of horticulture, constant pruning and trimming is necessary to remove any

extraneous or diseased stems, twigs, leaves, or buds. Maintaining a landscape's aesthetic value,

encouraging robust plant development, and fine-tuning flowering are all served by this method

(Pineda, Yu et al. 2020) .

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2.1. Project Background

People tend to use the words "pruning" and "trimming" interchangeably, but there is actually a

distinction between the two. The term "pruning" refers to the process of removing damaged,

diseased, or otherwise undesirable branches and stems from a plant. On the other hand, trimming

refers to the process of pruning back overgrown vegetation. By removing diseased or otherwise

unhealthy branches, one can make place for new growth and shield the property and pedestrians

from harm. This helps the plant retain its original form while encouraging robust development,

and it also discourages pests and animals from settling in. Trees and shrubs can benefit from

regular pruning to maximize fruit and bloom production. Hedge aesthetics grow with regular

trimming, and evergreens remain proportional and dense. By keeping plants at a manageable size

and shape, this type of upkeep helps a property seem the way it was intended to. It is important to

prune trees on a regular basis to lessen the likelihood of storm-related damage caused by falling

branches. Stop dangerous branches from hanging over people's homes, driveways, and

playgrounds. Reducing the available habitat for bugs, vermin, and snakes is another benefit of this

method (Guard 2022). For this purpose, the automatic plant trimming system is considered. The

automatic plant trimming system have different kind of configurations. Cutting discs and bladed

cutters are the two most common forms of plant trimmer. Crops, vegetables, grasses, and tree twigs

can all be chopped with disc cutters by continuously rotating the blades. Multiple blades, circular

motion, angular motion, and linear motion are just some of the mechanical combinations possible

for the blade type. Cutter blades in modern grain harvesting equipment typically have a linear

reciprocating motion. Tree and hedge shears often feature a pair of blades that may either move in

a linear fashion or in the opposite direction. Form trimming necessitates the manual intervention

of an operator because to the portable nature of the equipment (Li, Ma et al. 2021).

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Pruning and trimming outdoor trees and shrubs helps control pests and insects first and foremost.

There may be cause for alarm if pest insects on the property are not managed. Tent worms are a

type of colonial bug that makes nests in trees and feeds on the woody vegetation around it. Even

if the insects don't directly destroy the plant, they may do so by spreading diseases that weaken it

and increase the risk of branches breaking off. Insects can get into house or encourage the nesting

of other pests if the plants are too close to the structure. Maintaining the plants ensures that home

and belongings are protected. Damage to home might be caused by dead or diseased limbs. The

family is also in danger from branches that could fall. Pruning trees and other plants in yard can

help make the property more secure. Strong winds can also cause damage to a home's siding when

branches scrape against it. Trimming vines and other climbing plants is also important. They can

grow underneath siding and pull it away from home's structure if they are placed too close to the

siding. To flourish, plants require care just as much as one do. Shedding light on the benefits of

pruning and trimming on a plant's vitality and resilience. Young plants benefit most from structural

pruning in the long run. As the plant ages, it will have a more robust structure and need less

corrective trimming. When a plant loses its form, it might become weakened and eventually

collapse. Nobody wants to have to deal with a problem that could have been avoided. Keeping up

with routine tree and shrub pruning and trimming is essential for maintaining a beautiful and

healthy outside landscape. There are certain times of year when one should do certain maintenance

tasks on all plants (Max, Schmidt et al. 2016).

15
2.2. Previous Work

The proliferation of modern machinery has made it easier and more convenient to complete our

tasks. The goal of the project by the (Patil, Pawar et al. 2020) is to develop a system for building

a grass-cutting machine, with the grass-cutter-based Motor powered by solar energy. Fuel prices

are on the rise, and so are the environmental consequences of releasing the gases produced during

combustion into the atmosphere. As a result, it has become necessary to harness the Sun's plentiful

solar energy to power lawnmowers. The basic idea of a lawnmower was used to create a solar-

powered grass cutter. This machine is geared for the designers of solar-powered grass cutters,

which include a D.C. motor, a rechargeable battery, a solar panel, a stainless-steel blade, and a

control switch. Switching on the board of the solar-powered lawn cutter completes the circuit and

activates the motor, which in turn drives the cutting blade. The solar charging controller is

responsible for recharging the battery. The effectiveness of the new equipment was tested on

several grass species. Since it operates on solar energy and has fewer moving parts than

conventional vehicles, it is suggested by (Patil, Pawar et al. 2020) that it saves money and reduces

pollution and residue from burned fuel, and it requires less maintenance than conventional

vehicles. People will be able to get a lot more exercise out of this, and it's not difficult to manage

either. With this setup, the solar-powered grass cutter's batteries may be charged even as it works.

Since the batteries may be recharged throughout the day, the same thing can be used at night as

well.

Vegetable processing and preparation for fresh consumption both include hand-separation of the

leafy tops from the stalk. This study was conducted by (Hosseinpour-Zarnaq, Minaei et al. 2021)

to design and create an autonomous method for cleanly slicing stems of field-grown vegetables.

The optimal cutting spot was identified with the help of machine vision. A cutting device separates

16
the leafy portion of the plant from the stem after the product has been placed on the conveyor and

shot mechanically. The samples were cut to size with an accuracy of roughly 3 mm using the

custom-built cutting technology. The machine can only make 15 cuts per minute because it takes

around 4 seconds to determine the cutting position and actually make the cut. When fed uniform,

recently harvested vegetables, the machine produced acceptable results.

A lot of energy is spent for mowing lawn in different parts of the world, and it also requires lots

of human effort for the task, but robotics is a very broad subject that comes with many

combinations of technology that will assist to reduce the human effort and deliver the maximum

efficient output for the work. Creating an autonomous robotic lawn mower system that can mow

the grass in a variety of patterns with minimal human input is the primary goal of this research

conducted by the (Jain, Khalore et al. 2015). The added expense of a few extra sensors or the

possibility of using cheaper components in mass production are both advantages of this system.

However, the system's response can be too slow at times, thus high-end DSP processors, which

can process considerably more quickly in real time, are advised. The auto operated lawn mower

offers numerous advantages to the customer and has the potential to develop into a highly lucrative

and sought-after product. However, most customers are unaware of this innovation in the lawn

mower market. The new mower design takes advantage of the best features of existing models

while also embracing the latest advancements in remote control hardware and software. The

advantages of several other existing mowers will be surpassed by the safety features,

dependability, cost effectiveness, and user friendliness of the developed mower.

The study by the (Alam, Singh et al.) showcases the cutting-edge application of new technology

in a robotic grass trimmer. One of the best features of this study paper is the usage of solar panels

and electricity to charge the battery, and the Internet of Things (IoT) is employed to automate the

17
lawn cutter. One of our most prominent features is the ability to set the height at which the grass

is trimmed via a mobile phone app.

Figure 4: shows the automatic grass cutter (Alam, Singh et al.)

(Gupta, Upadhyay et al. 2020) presented Internet of Things grass cutter powered by the solar

energy in his research. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of devices, both physical and

digital, that share and exchange data. Controls for the IoT-based solar cutter are implemented via

the ubiquitous smartphone. All the gadget's programming was done in the Arduino environment.

When the ultrasonic sensor senses a problem, the DC motor kicks in to provide vertical or

horizontal motion. Using solar panels, the system is supplied with energy from the sun. This

renewable power is used not just during the warm months, but all year round. The Bluetooth-based

solar grass cutter is a device that not only effectively utilizes IoT, but also is founded on the

necessity of the present moment, which is to reduce reliance on environmentally friendly energy

sources. It accomplishes two goals at once: it uses an abundant energy source while also

18
minimizing the amount of work required from humans. Using a mobile phone app, the device may

be controlled with just the touch of a finger by anyone, expert or not. This design is intended not

only to do the required work, but also to provide a sustainable alternative to the conventional

machinery currently in use. Simply put, if produced on a large enough scale, it is more cost-

effective than the current process. The user can adjust the settings to their liking.

The subject of robotics is advancing rapidly, and new applications are being developed all the time.

This study by the (Hameed, Sorrenson et al. 2011) presents an exciting new use of field robotics

in football stadiums. Automatically doing routine maintenance on a football field, including grass

cutting, pitch and line marking illustrations, and lawn striping, is shown below in the form of an

algorithm for creating the route points needed to guide a GPS-based field robotic. The manual

operation of these duties requires competent employees able to work for long hours with high

concentration for the football yard to be compatible with standards of Football Association (FIFA).

On the flip hand, a GPS-guided vehicle or robot equipped with a grass mower, lawn stripping

roller, and track marking illustrator may work nonstop, no matter the weather or the soil, and

produce consistent results. The proposed method for the automated operation of football fields

eliminates or greatly reduces the need for human intervention, which saves a lot of time and effort

and allows the operator to focus on other activities. A cost-benefit analysis confirmed that the

proposed strategy is more cost-effective than conventional methods.

19
 2.2.1. Theoretical Design of System

Each cutter has two blades—one that stays put and one that can move. The cutting action is

achieved by the blade swinging back and forth. The mechanism of creating the moving blade's

reciprocating motion is depicted in Figure.

Figure 5: shows the reciprocating motion mechanism of the moving blade

The moving blade is rotated about the pin by the driving motor, which in turn rotates the inner

gear with the eccentric wheel around the center (O1) of the inner gear (O). The reciprocating blade

makes one complete swing back and forth for every revolution of the eccentric wheel.

Kinematically, the center of the eccentric wheel (O2) has coordinates that are as follows:

𝒙𝑶𝟐 = 𝑳𝑶𝑶𝟐 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽 = 𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒏𝝎𝒐 𝒕

𝒚𝑶𝟐 = 𝑳𝑶𝑶𝟐 𝒄𝒐𝜽 = 𝒉 − 𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒔𝝎𝒐 𝒕

20
By using the above equation, the swing angle can be presented by using the following equation:

𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒏𝝎𝒐 𝒕
𝒕𝒂𝒏𝜽 =
𝒉 − 𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒔𝝎𝒐 𝒕

The angle 𝜃 can be presented by using the following equation:

𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒏𝝎𝒐 𝒕
𝜽 = 𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒏 3 4
𝒉 − 𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒔𝝎𝒐 𝒕

The swing angular speed can be presented by using the following equation:

𝒅𝜽 𝒉𝒆𝝎𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝝎𝒐 𝒕 − 𝒆𝟐 𝝎𝒐
𝝎𝟏 = =
𝒅𝒕 𝒆𝟐 + 𝒉𝟐 − 𝟐𝒉𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒔𝝎𝒐 𝒕

The swing limiting angle can be presented by using the following equation:

𝝋 = 𝟐 × 𝜽𝒎𝒂𝒙

𝒆 𝟑𝟔𝟎
𝝋 = 𝟐 × 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐬𝐢𝐧 A B ×
𝒉 𝟐𝝅

The knife mechanism was versatile enough to accommodate a wide variety of plant sizes and

shapes. The shape of the knife system might be altered by adjusting the number of cutter units.

Typically, shrubs take the form of spherical balls, as seen in Figure, which means that the knife

system must curve in an arc to cut through the foliage.

21
 Figure 6: shows the arc-shape knife’s structure

The linear length and arc length are related and can be presented by using the following equation:

𝒍 = H𝟐𝑹𝟐 (𝟏 − 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜶)

𝜶
𝒍 = N𝟒𝑹𝟐 A𝐬𝐢𝐧𝟐 B
𝟐

𝜶 𝟐
𝒍 ≈ Q𝟒𝑹𝟐 A B
𝟐

𝒍 ≈ 𝑹𝜶 = 𝑳𝟏

2.3. Current Work

A significant part of horticulture is the art of shape trimming. Handheld trimming tools are

currently the most popular in China, although they have a number of drawbacks such as a high

reliance on human labor, limited productivity, and erratic results. With the goals of lowering labor

costs, increasing productivity, and bettering trimming results, this work developed a wheeled form

trimming machine for shrub plants. The major components of the machine are the rotating base,

22
the knife system, and the supporting frame. Essential machine parts and how they are built are

shown in the research paper (Li, Ma et al. 2021). The knife system used numerous cutter units that

moved in tandem with one another. Different trimming forms could be realized by altering the

number of pieces and their connecting angles. The rotational base on which the knife system was

mounted allowed it to rotate through 360 degrees, allowing the plants to be shaped in any direction.

The optimum operating parameters (cutter unit cutting frequency and rotary base speed) were

determined through experimentation. Two assessment indices were settled on: the degree of

resemblance between the trimmed plant's profile and the knife system's profile, and the amount of

time spent on each operation. The five distinct shrub plants were selected by the machine and

given a trimming, with the results showing an overall similarity of 93% or higher. Therefore, the

created shape trimming machine could provide the required precision and flexibility for shrub

trimming in horticulture (Li, Ma et al. 2021).

The electric multi-purpose trimmer is developed recently through research using virtual

prototyping technology, which led to the creation of novel trimming processes. The trimming

mechanism is composed of several manipulators, which grants the trimming tool six degrees of

freedom and the ability to move along any space track. Flat, curved, cylindrical, cone, spherical,

and other shapes are all within its sculpting capabilities. Features include an error compensation

function and high-speed, real-time online interpolation. The process of trimming can be managed

automatically by use of custom-built control software. The ARM visual sensing system shows the

position and posture of the trimming mechanism in real time and controls it automatically. A

vehicle construction, the hedge trimmer is used for cutting hedges. The electric vehicle's trimming

mechanism is mounted up front (Patil, Pawar et al. 2020).

23
 Chapter 3: System Design Methodology

3.1. Design Constrains and Design Methodology

3.1.1. Geometrical Constraints

Early on in the process of developing the trimming system, team fell across the common issue of

having to make do with inadequate materials, such as the batteries and the frame. The prototype's

physical dimensions also posed a potential difficulty. Concerns over the trimming system's

effectiveness dominated discussions on the prototype's size.

3.1.2. Sustainability

Because of the characteristics of the material, there will likely be few sustainability challenges.

The material is strong enough to hold the equipment and work properly.

3.1.3. Environmental

Since the automatic plant trimming system receives its power from the batteries, there will be

problems for the environment if the batteries cannot be disposed of in an appropriate manner.

3.1.4. Social

Both personal and professional activities are appropriate applications for the system. Among the

numerous possible applications, one of them is the trimming of plants in public places like streets

and parks.

24
 3.1.5. Economic

Batteries, which are capable of being recharged inside of houses, provide the power for the system.

A single charge of the batteries is sufficient to keep the system operational for many days which

reduces the costs of the fuel used in the conventional trimmers.

3.1.6. Ethical Consideration

This project is the culmination of a number of earlier papers on the topic of automated trimmer for

plants, which served as the inspiration for the work. As a result, the undertaking required the

application of broad concepts gleaned from previously published works, which were then

subjected to modification in order to enhance their usefulness and productivity.

3.1.7. Design Methodology

The software known as SolidWorks was used in order to create the design of the model. Following

the evaluation of the various dimensions of the automated trimmer for plants found in the available

literature, the dimensions were then used in the modeling process. This was the first step in the

process of designing the machine.

25
Figure 7: shows the engineering drawing for the wheel

Figure 8: shows the engineering drawing for the knife

26
 Figure 9: shows the engineering drawing for the Frame

Figure 10: shows the engineering drawing for the assembly of system

27
3.2. Engineering Design Standards

Each part of the Trimming system should be engineered to the highest standards. There are

examples of everything that was chosen for the project in this area. Electric motors, batteries, and

Frame are all utilized by the chosen parts. The ASTM provided the standard for frame material

which ASTM Standard A36, while the IEC 60034-2-1 supplied the standard for electric motors

and the IEC 62133 provided the standard for batteries.

Table 2: gives standards

Equipment Standard Code

Electric Motors IEC IEC 60034-2-1

Frame ASTM ASTM A36

Battery IEC IEC 62133

Screw Threads ASME ASME B1.11-1958

3.3. Design Specification

Table 3: gives the design specifications

Total weight 49 kg

Knife system weight 4.5 kg

Maximum Plant Size 800 mm

Power 650 W

Running Time 4-8 h

Trimming Height 40-80 m

28
3.4. Product Subsystems and Selection of Components

The subsystems of the automatic trimming system include the frame body, the cutters, the wheels

and the cover as can be seen in the following Figure. The exploded view is provided in the figure

given below with the quantity of components used in the system.

Figure 11: shows the components of the trimming system

3.5. Economic Evaluation of the Project

The price of the various parts required to construct a trimming system is a good indicator of the

total cost involved in the design and construction of the system. Each participant contributed

equally to the total cost of the experiment by purchasing various components. The automatic plant

trimming system's ability to reduce gardener labor costs is a key contributor to the project's bottom

line.

29
3.6. Theory and Theoretical Calculations

The trimming machine's rotary base rotation speed is an important operational variable. Misses of

plant branches and poor trimming performance will occur with a value that is too high, while a

number that is too low will result in inefficient effort. Referencing the operating speed of combine

harvesters of maize, rapeseed, etc. in the field allowed us to establish a baseline speed range for

the rotary base, as the knife system's rotation motion is comparable to the forward motion of the

cutter bar. Calculations were made with the use of the following equation:

𝟔𝟎 × 𝒗
𝒏= × 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎
𝟐𝝅𝒓

Table 4: gives the Rotating Speed of rotary Base

Maximum linear speed (v) Rotating Speed of rotary Base (n)

m/s r/min

0.5
9.55414
0.6
11.46497
0.7
13.3758
0.8
15.28662
0.9
17.19745
1
19.10828
1.1
21.01911
1.2
22.92994
1.3
24.84076

30
1.4
26.75159
1.5
28.66242
1.6
30.57325
1.7
32.48408
1.8
34.3949
1.9
36.30573
2
38.21656
2.1
40.12739
2.2
42.03822
2.3
43.94904
2.4
45.85987
2.5
47.7707
2.6
49.68153
2.7
51.59236
2.8
53.50318
2.9
55.41401
3
57.32484

31
 Chapter 4: Project Management

4.1. Project Plan

There were a number of steps to take in order to complete the job. Group members therefore had

tasks given to them that they were expected to complete both alone and collectively. Timelines

and individual tasks that must be completed by various people are laid out in detail in the following

table.

Table 5: Gives the Gantt Chart

Task Start Duration

Introduction
Project Objective
Chapter 1:
Project Definition 5/9/22 8 days
Introduction
Project Specification
Project Application
Project background
Chapter 2: History
Literature
12/9/22 8 days
Review Working Principle
Theoretical Design of System

Design Constraints and Design Methodology

Chapter 3:
Engineering Design Standards
System Design
2/10/22 25 days
Methodology
Theory and Theoretical Calculations

Project Plan
Chapter 4: Contribution of Team Members
Project
15/11/22 6 days
Management Project Execution and Monitoring
Challenges and Decisions

32
 Impact of the Engineering Solution
Chapter 5:
10/12/22 7 days
Project Analysis Contemporary issues Addressed

Chapter 6:
Conclusion 20/12/22 2 days
Conclusion

Table 6: gives the Assigned Task to Members

Tasks Assigned Members

Chapter 1: Introduction All members

Chapter 2: Literature Review All members

Chapter 3: System Design All members

Chapter 4: Project Management All members

Chapter 5: Project Analysis All members

Chapter 6: Conclusion All members

4.2. Contribution of Team Members

The significance of the undertaking necessitated that everyone in the organization play an integral

role in every phase of the endeavor. The point of everyone pitching in was to make sure everyone

had a firm grasp of the project's many important technical parts. A member of the group served as

the project supervisor for each subgroup, ensuring that everyone was involved.

33
 Task Member Contribution

Introduction
Project Objective
Chapter 1: Taif Alhashim,
Project Definition 33%
Introduction Dana Alarfaj
Project Specification
Project Application
Project background
Chapter 2: History
Literature Dana Alarfaj,
33%
Review Working Principle Jinan Almunif
Theoretical Design of System

Design Constraints and Design

Chapter 3: Methodology Taif Alhashim,
System Design Engineering Design Standards Dana Alarfaj, 33%
Methodology
Jinan Almunif
Theory and Theoretical Calculations

Project Plan
Chapter 4: Contribution of Team Members
Project Jinan Almunif,
33%
Management Project Execution and Monitoring Taif Alhashim
Challenges and Decisions

Chapter 5: Impact of the Engineering Solution

Taif Alhashim,
Project 33%
Contemporary issues Addressed Dana Alarfaj,
Analysis

Chapter 6:
Conclusion Jinan Almunif, 33%
Conclusion

34
4.3. Project Execution Monitoring

A number of efforts were made during the project's duration with the goal of making the project

better. Meetings were held often throughout the process, but especially at the beginning of each

new phase and at the conclusion of each phase.

4.4. Challenges and Decision Making

In the course of the project, team ran into a few obstacles that forced us to cut into the time frame

a little bit. Determining the best material for the prototype and the optimal rotational speed for the

base were two of the biggest challenges.

35
 Chapter 5: Project Analysis

5.1. Impact of Engineering Solution

The engineering solution's effects on the economy and the environment can be measured.

specifically for commercial and residential use, the technical solution delivers a cheaper supply of

service. The frame using the selected material is sturdy enough to support the apparatus while

maintaining its functionality. Because the power for the autonomous plant trimming system comes

from the batteries, there will be issues for the environment if the batteries cannot be disposed of in

a way that is considered to be suitable. The approach is suitable for use in a variety of contexts,

including both professional and personal endeavors. One of the many conceivable uses is the

cutting down of plants in public spaces like streets and parks. This is only one of the many

possibilities.

5.2. Contemporary Issues Addressed

Increasing the amount that the gardener gets paid for their services is one of the modern difficulties

that has to be addressed. However, the technical solution will make it feasible for anybody to trim

the plants without wasting hours or making mistakes due to human error. This will be made

possible by an autonomous trimming system. At the same time, the cost of operation is kept to a

low thanks to the use of a battery, which is excellent and makes the device accessible at any time

of the day.

36
 Chapter 6: Conclusion

In this research, research team created and evaluated a machine specifically for trimming shrubs.

There were primarily three components to the machine: the frame, the rotary base, and the knife

mechanism. Each undertaking affords the opportunity to learn something new. The importance of

teamwork in this undertaking was most evident in the group's ability to effectively illustrate ideas

and take part in practical exercises. Team was able to better grasp some of the aspects that affect

automatic trimming system efficiency because to the insights team received from the literature

review. On the other side, the project helped us figure out that by keeping the optimal speed of the

rotors improved their output. The initiatives not only helped students learn about engineering but

also helped them become better communicators and team players.

37
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39
 Appendix

Figure 12 shows the Solidworks model of knife blades

40
Figure 13 shows the Solidworks model of cover

41
Figure 14 shows the Solidworks model of motor

42
Figure 15 shows the Solidworks model of frame

43
Figure 16 shows the Solidworks model of assembly

44