i

THE UNIVERSITY OF BAMENDA

HIGHER TECHNICAL
DEPARTMENT OF
TEACHER TRAINING
MECHANICAL
COLLEGE
ENGINEERING

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A SEMI-AUTOMATIC

SOLAR LAWN MOWER WITH ADJUSTABLE CUTTING
HEIGHT

A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the Higher Technical

Training College of The University of Bamenda in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
award of a Postgraduate Diploma (DIPET II) in Mechanical Manufacturing

By

DJEPANG WAHAKOU CHRISTIAN VALAIRE

Registration No: UBa21T0162
(DIPET I)

SUPERVISOR CO- SUPERVISOR

Prof. TSI EVARISTUS ANGWAFO Dr. WAINDIM YISA TUFOIN ALBERT

JUNE, 2023
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@Copyright by Djepang Wahakou Christian Valaire, 2023

All Rights Reserved
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DECLARATION

I, Djepang Wahakou Christian Valaire, Registration Number: UBa21T0162, Department of

Mechanical Engineering of the Higher Technical Teacher Training College in The University of
Bamenda, hereby declare that, this work titled “Design and Construction, of a Semi-
Automatic Solar Lawn Mower with Adjustable Cutting Height” is my original work. It has
not been presented in any application for a degree or any academic pursuit. I have sincerely
acknowledged all borrowed ideas nationally and internationally through citations.

Date Signature
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CERTIFICATION

This is to certify that, this research titled “Design and Construction of a Semi-Automatic
Solar Lawn Mower with Adjustable Cutting Height” is the original work of Djepang
Wahakou Christian Valaire. This work is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the award of a postgraduate Diploma (DIPET II) in Mechanical Manufacturing of The
University of Bamenda, Cameroon.

Prof. Tsi Evaristus Angwafor Dr. Waindim Yisa Tufoin Albert

(Supervisor) (Field - Supervisor)

Dr. Waindim Yisa Tufoin Albert Prof. Tsi Evaristus Angwafor

(Head of Department) (Director)

Having met the stipulated requirements, the dissertation has been accepted by the
postgraduate school

Date:

The General Coordinator

Postgraduate School
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DEDICATION

My parents WAHAKOU JOSEPH and NGEUPKNANG GISELE

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I remain forever grateful to the great and Almighty God for saving me and giving me a glorious
destiny and inheritance in his son Jesus Christ; I praise him for the gifts of: life, good health,
protection, wisdom, understanding and strength during the design and realization of this project.
I am also grateful to all the people who contributed to my success in this project. My sincere
appreciation goes to;

 My supervisor: Prof. TSI EVARISTUS ANGWAFO who was always ready to help and
support me.
 My co-supervisor: Engr, Dr. WAINDIM YISA TUFOIN ALBERT who has always
been there to assist me
 The Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering: Engr, Dr. WAINDIM YISA
TUFOIN ALBERT and his staff especially: Mr WOUMO who deployed all the means
which directed us in our project
 The division of training and orientation for training and internship: Dr YAKUM
RENETA for having organized and supervised our project, thus enabling me to achieve
it effectively and efficiently
 The director of HTTTC Bambili: Prof TSI EVARISTUS ANGWAFO for maintaining a
conducive environment for studies
 The administration of H.T.T.T.C Bambili for being available and ready to help and
assist despite the moments of trials that we are facing in the English Regions
 My parents: WAHAKOU JOSEPH and GISELE and my sisters for encouragements in
my studies
 My friends for their mutual help and care: both spiritual, mentally and physically

My acknowledgement also goes to those from beneath or from afar who have contributed to
my success in this project
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ABSTRACT
Due to the constant rise in fuel prices and the impact of gas emissions from burned fuel into the
atmosphere, it became necessary to use the sun’s solar energy as a source of electricity to
operate a lawn mower. The objectives were to design, construct and evaluate the efficiency of a
semi-automatic solar lawn mower. The methodology used was the scientific approach where we
designed the control system and made our choice of materials. During machine operation, solar
energy was converted to electrical energy used by the battery and electrical energy was
converted to mechanical energy through the blade to achieve cutting operation. The electric
circuit ensured that power was transferred from the 24V battery to run the DC motor and the
DC gear motors, while the solar panel continuously charged the battery during operation. The
blade generated power from the DC motor at a speed of 10,000rpm. The switching of the DC
motor and the DC gear motors on and off were done using the four push buttons of the remote
controller hence the system is mutually independent. When the switch is on, the electrical
energy from the battery powers the DC motors which in turn actuate the blade and DC gear
motors which in turn actuate the movement of the lawnmower to a particular direction and
speed. The rotating blade continuously cuts the grass as the mower is being propelled forward
controlled wirelessly. During the operation it was convenient to cut grass manually at different
height using an adjustable lever mechanism attached under the seat of the battery of the
machine. An average time of 2,075 secs was used to mow an average area of 150 m 2 and an
efficiency of 80% was obtained. From the result above a semi-automatic lawnmower can be
designed and constructed and we recommend that gasoline lawn mowers should be completely
replaced by solar lawn mowers since it is environmental friendly.

Keywords: lawnmower, DC motor, DC gear motors, mutually independent, remote controller,

adjustable lever mechanism, environmental friendly
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RESUME
En raison de la hausse constante des prix du carburant et de l'impact des émissions de gaz du
carburant brûlé dans l'atmosphère, il est devenu nécessaire d'utiliser l'énergie solaire du soleil
comme source d'électricité pour faire fonctionner une tondeuse à gazon. L'objectif était de
concevoir et de fabriquer une tondeuse à gazon solaire semi-automatique respectueuse de
l'environnement. La méthodologie utilisée était l'approche scientifique où nous avons conçu le
système de contrôle et fait notre choix de matériaux. Pendant le fonctionnement de la machine,
l'énergie solaire a été convertie en énergie électrique utilisée par la batterie et l'énergie
électrique a été convertie en énergie mécanique à travers la lame pour réaliser l'opération de
coupe. Le circuit électrique assurait que l'alimentation était transférée de la batterie 24V pour
faire fonctionner le moteur à courant continu et les moteurs à engrenages à courant continu,
tandis que le panneau solaire chargeait la batterie en continu pendant le fonctionnement. La
lame a généré de l'énergie à partir du moteur à courant continu à une vitesse de 10 000 tr/min.
L'allumage et l'extinction du moteur à courant continu et des moteurs à engrenages à courant
continu ont été effectués à l'aide des quatre boutons-poussoirs de la télécommande, le système
est donc mutuellement indépendant. Lorsque l'interrupteur est activé, l'énergie électrique de la
batterie alimente les moteurs à courant continu qui actionnent à leur tour la lame et les moteurs
à engrenages à courant continu qui à leur tour actionnent le mouvement de la tondeuse à gazon
dans une direction et une vitesse particulières. La lame rotative coupe l'herbe en continu
pendant que la tondeuse est propulsée vers l'avant contrôlée sans fil. Pendant l'opération, il était
pratique de couper l'herbe manuellement à différentes hauteurs à l'aide d'un mécanisme à levier
réglable fixé sous le siège de la batterie de la machine. Un temps moyen de 2 075 secondes a
été utilisé pour tondre une surface moyenne de 150 m2 et une efficacité de 80 % a été obtenue.
À partir du résultat ci-dessus, une tondeuse à gazon semi-automatique peut être conçue et
construite et nous recommandons que les tondeuses à gazon à essence soient complètement
remplacées par des tondeuses à gazon solaires car elles sont respectueuses de l'environnement.

Mots-clés : Tondeuse à gazon, moteur à courant continu, moteurs à engrenages à courant

continu, mutuellement indépendants, télécommande, mécanisme à levier réglable,
respectueux de l'environnement
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CERTIFICATION..........................................................................................................................i

DECLARATION............................................................................................................................i

DEDICATION...............................................................................................................................ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.........................................................................................................iv

ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................v

RESUME.......................................................................................................................................vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................................vii

LIST OF TABLES.........................................................................................................................x

LIST OF FIGURES......................................................................................................................xi

LIST OF ABBREVIATION......................................................................................................xiii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................1

1.0. Background to the Study..........................................................................................................1

1.1. Statement of the Problem..........................................................................................................2

1.2. Research Questions...................................................................................................................2

1.3. Objectives of the Project...........................................................................................................2

1.3.1. General Objective..................................................................................................................2

1.4. Research Hypothesis.................................................................................................................3

1.5. Significance of the Project........................................................................................................3

1.5.1. Significance of the Project to the Government......................................................................3

1.5.2. Significance of the Project to the Population........................................................................3

1.6. Scope of Study..........................................................................................................................3

1.7. Application...............................................................................................................................4

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW.............................................................................5

2.0. Introduction...............................................................................................................................5

2.1. History......................................................................................................................................5

2.1.1. Cylinder Mowers...................................................................................................................5

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2.1.2. Rotary Mowers......................................................................................................................7

2.2. Types of Lawn Mowers............................................................................................................8

2.2.1. By hand..................................................................................................................................8

2.2.3. By rotation.............................................................................................................................9

2.2.4. By energy source.................................................................................................................10

2.3. Recent Modifications on Solar Lawn Mower.........................................................................15

2.4. Proposed System.....................................................................................................................18

2.4.1. Working Principle................................................................................................................18

2.4.2. Block Diagram.....................................................................................................................19

2.4.3. Advantages..........................................................................................................................19

CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHOD.............................................................20

3.0. Introduction.............................................................................................................................20

3.1. Conceptual Design of the Semi-Automatic Solar Lawn Mower............................................20

3.1.1. Material Selection................................................................................................................20

3.1.2. Method Selection.................................................................................................................28

3.2. Material Purchase...................................................................................................................30

3.2.1. Materials..............................................................................................................................31

3.2.2. Equipment............................................................................................................................32

3.3. Construction of the Semi-Automatic Solar Lawn Mower......................................................33

3.3.1. Electrical Construction........................................................................................................33

3.3.2. Mechanical Construction.....................................................................................................42

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION................................................................47

4.0. Introduction.............................................................................................................................47

4.1. Results on Selection of Materials...........................................................................................47

4.1.1. Result on the Determination of the Power of the Cutting Blade.........................................47

4.1.2. Result on the determination of the torque of the motors to move the mower forward........48

4.1.3. Result on the Selection of the Appropriate Solar Panel......................................................48

4.2. Assembling the Components of the Transmitter....................................................................48

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4.3. Practical Circuit and Results...................................................................................................50

4.4. Implementation of Fabrication Process..................................................................................50

4.5. Discussion...............................................................................................................................51

4.6. Test Run..................................................................................................................................51

4.7. Evaluation of Efficiency of the Semi – Automatic Solar Lawn Mower.................................52

4.8. Results.....................................................................................................................................53

4.9. Bill of Engineering Materials and Evaluation........................................................................53

4.10. User Manual..........................................................................................................................55

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION........................................57

5.0. Introduction.............................................................................................................................57

5.1. Conclusion..............................................................................................................................57

5.2. Recommendation....................................................................................................................57

5.3. Limitations of Study...............................................................................................................57

BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................................................................................76

APPENDIX
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 3.1: Lawn mower kit DC with RS – 775VF Motor...........................................................22
Table 3.2:Nema 17 Stepper Motor Specifications........................................................................24
Table 3.3:Solar Panel Specification..............................................................................................27
Table 3.4:Mechanical Materials....................................................................................................31
Table 3.5:Electronic Components.................................................................................................32
Table 3.6: Legend of the Solar Lawn Mower...............................................................................42
Table 4.1: Test Run.......................................................................................................................52
Table 4.2: Cost of realization of mechanical component..............................................................53
Table 4.3: Cost of realization of electronic component................................................................54
Table 4.4: Key buttons and their functionality of the Remote Controller....................................56
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1: Commercial Lawn Mower in use April 1930 in Berlin...............................................7
Figure 2.2: A Push Lawn Mower...................................................................................................8
Figure 2.3: A rotary mower with a mulching blade that rotates around the center .....................10
Figure 2.4: A Gasoline powered rotary push mower ...................................................................11
Figure 2.5:A Corded Lawn Mower with rear grass catcher ........................................................12
Figure 2.6:A Cordless electric lawn mower ................................................................................13
Figure 2.7: An Automatic Lawn Mower .....................................................................................14
Figure 2.8: Block diagram of a semi-automatic solar lawn mower..............................................19
Figure 3.1:Dimension of Cutting Blade .......................................................................................21
Figure 3.2:Lawn mower kit DC with RS – 775VF Motor ...........................................................23
Figure 3.3:Force Diagram of the Solar Lawn Mower..................................................................23
Figure 3.4: 24V DC 35W Worm Gear motor ..............................................................................25
Figure 3.5:12V DC Rechargeable Battery ...................................................................................26
Figure 3.6:18V, 30W Solar Panel ................................................................................................26
Figure 3.7: Block Diagram of the Open Loop System.................................................................29
Figure 3.8: Transfer Function of the Control System -................................................................29
Figure 3.9: Synoptic diagram of the remote control.....................................................................33
Figure 3.10: Nrf24L01 Transceiver Module ...............................................................................34
Figure 3.11: Joysticks ..................................................................................................................34
Figure 3.12: Push Buttons ...........................................................................................................35
Figure 3.13: Arduino Pro Mini ....................................................................................................35
Figure 3.14: Synoptic diagram of the receiver.............................................................................36
Figure 3.15: Arduino Uno ............................................................................................................37
Figure 3.16: Buck Boost...............................................................................................................38
Figure 3.17: 5V Relay..................................................................................................................38
Figure 3.18: A 10A, 12V- 24V PWM Solar Charge Controller ..................................................39
Figure 3.19: Program Codes of the Semi-automatic Solar Lawn Mower....................................39
Figure 3.20: Schematics of the Control System...........................................................................40
Figure 3.21: Flow Chart of the System.........................................................................................41
Figure 3.22: Kinematic Diagram of the Solar Lawn Mower........................................................42
Figure 3.23: Welding carried out at Syrille’s Workshop..............................................................44
Figure 3.24: Painting of the Solar Lawnmower............................................................................45
Figure 3.25: Adjustable cutting threaded column.........................................................................46
Figure 4.1: Swing Plastic Blades for grass cutters .......................................................................48
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Figure 4.2: Assembling of the components that make up the transmitter....................................49
Figure 4.3: Components of transmitter embedded inside a game pad casing...............................49
Figure 4.4: Receiver Components mounted on a Matrix Board...................................................50
Figure 4.5: Front View of the Semi – Automatic Solar Lawn Mower.........................................51
Figure 4.6: Remote Controller of the Semi-Automatic Solar Lawn mower................................55
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LIST OF ABBREVIATION
AC Alternating Current

DC Direct Current

I/O Input/output

IDE Integrated Development Environment

IMP Maximum System Current

IOT Internet of Things

ISC Short Circuit Current

LED Light Emitting Diode

MMPT Maximum Power Point Tracking

PCB Printable Circuit Board

PWM Pulse Width Modulation

RPM Revolution Per Minute

USB Universal Serial Bus

VMP Maximum Power Voltage

VOC Open Circuit Voltage

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION
1.0. Background to the Study
This project is about the design and construction of a semi-automatic solar lawn mower with
adjustable cutting height. Grasses are plant that grows naturally on earth which covers up to
40% of the earth surface. These grasses are cleared down using different tools like cutlasses,
hoes and lawn mowers. A lawn mower is a machine which employs revolving blades to cut a
lawn to an even height. The lawn mower which employs a blade that rotates about a vertical
axis are known as rotary mowers, while those which uses a blade assemble that rotates about a
horizontal axis are known as cylinder or reel mowers (Free Software Foundation, (FSF) Inc,
1991), (Brooks, 1991), (Dana, 2017). Mowing is the process of trimming grasses to a specific
height usually for decoration, sanitation or for sport purposes. Various grass cutting equipment
have been developed over the years such as cutlasses, reel-blade grass cutter, spiral-rope cutter,
gas powered mower and so on but they pose some challenges relating to operational efficiency.

A lawn mower is not just a tool like cutlass or scissors but a machine which consists of
integrated mechanical and electrical systems with an effective control system. Lawn mowing
machines can be powered electrically, with petrol or diesel, or with the use of solar system at
different levels of automation ranging from manual to semi-autonomous and fully autonomous
systems. The ones powered with petrol or diesel in a combustion engines are characterized with
high cutting performance but are relatively noisy with emissions which contributes to global
warming. In the case of a solar powered semi-automatic lawn mower, an additional control
system is often introduced in order to automate and make it a complete mechatronics machine
[ (Arkin, 2000), (Schierer, 2006) and (Bravo, 2010)]. Solar powered grass cutters are machines
which uses the solar energy to power an electric motor which rotates a blade that performs the
cutting operation. In addition to this, a rechargeable battery is usually incorporated to save
energy.

In this project we will design and manufacture a new type of lawn mower to be more advanced
and more helpful. The lawn mower will comprise of a robotic car with a revolving blade in the
middle controlled by a remote controller from a certain distance. The lawn mower will be
powered by a battery charged with solar panels
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1.1. Statement of the Problem

In our school environment there are lawns which entail clearing the grasses to a particular
height. The University of Bamenda employs labourers to weed grasses to keep the environment
clean. Some labourers use cutlasses and portable gasoline cutting machines. In Government
Bilingual Technical high school, labourers use gasoline lawn mowers to trim grass in the school
gardens. These machines has an effect to the environment in the following ways

 Noise pollution which disturb the student from learning in class

 Gas emissions from these machines causes air pollution which destroys the ozone layer
and also has an effect on the operator’s health

 High initial cost due to high fuel consumption rates

 High operator’s fatigue in long-run due to vibration

In order to have an eco-friendly environment with less noise and reduce labourer’s fatigue we
decide to carry out a project on the topic “Design and construction of a semi-automatic solar
lawn mower with adjustable cutting height”.

1.2. Research Questions

To realize this project made me to ask the following questions

1. What are the parameters that should be considered when designing the semi-automatic
lawn mower?
2. What are the mechanical and electrical processes that will undergo to construct the
semi-automatic solar lawn mower?
3. What are the factors considered to ensure the functionality of the machine

1.3. Objectives of the Project

1.3.1. General Objective
This project seeks to design and construct a semi-automatic solar lawn mower that is
environmentally friendly, cheaper cost of manufacturing

1.3.2. Specific Objectives

The specific objectives are to

- Design a semi-automatic solar lawn mower

- Construct a semi-automatic solar lawn mower
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- Evaluate the efficiency of a semi-automatic solar lawn mower

1.4. Research Hypothesis

A semi-automatic solar lawn can be designed and realized

Ho I: There is no significant reduction in noise of a semi-automatic solar lawn mower

Ho II: There is no positive improvement in the gas emission of a semi-automatic solar lawn
mower

Ho III: There is no significant improvement in the efficiency of a semi-automatic solar lawn

mower

1.5. Significance of the Project

This project is beneficial to both the government and the population

1.5.1. Significance of the Project to the Government

The semi-automatic lawn mowing machine will be of great significance to the government for
the following reasons

- It is a source of state revenue through taxes and state owned firms

- The country’s gross GPA will increase due to the exportation of these machines to
neighboring countries

1.5.2. Significance of the Project to the Population

- It will reduce human efforts of gardeners to trim grass
- The level of technology in the country will increase since many youths will be interested
in the realization of these machines
- There will be job creation in the realization and maintenance of these machines

1.6. Scope of Study

- The project links various mechanical and electronic components used to design the lawn
mowing machine
- This machine can be remotely controlled
- This machine uses Arduino system which controls every movement and function of the
machine
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1.7. Application
- Sports field
- Playgrounds
- Residential Gardens and Lawns
- Public Parks
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CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0. Introduction
In the past and till today, many facilities, such as hotels, hospitals, schools, etc relay on human
involvement to cut and trim grass in their vicinity. A laborer may use a power lawn mowing
device but he/she would still need to manually operate the device, this is mainly due to the fact
that in the past most automatic lawn mowers were expensive and unreliable; however, recent
advancements in technology changed that perceptions, in today’s market there are many options
for an automatic lawn mower, with different capabilities and price range

In this chapter, we shall discuss on how the lawn mower came about that is from the 18 th
century to present date. In the same light we will look at the advantages and disadvantages of
the various existing types of lawn mowers. Moreover, we will contrast on the different designs
of a solar lawn mowers made by various researchers and finally, look for the possible feasible
solution on the gap they left behind so as to improve the solar lawn mower

2.1. History
2.1.1. Cylinder Mowers
The first lawn mower was invented by Edwin Budding in 1827 in Thrupp, just outside Stroud,
in Gloucestershire. Budding’s mower was designed primarily to cut the lawn on sports grounds
and extensive gardens, as a superior alternative to the scythe and was granted a British patent
on August 31, 1830 (Mower History). It took ten more years and further innovations to create a
machine that could be worked by animals and sixty years before a steam-powered lawn mower
was built. The first machine produced was 19 inches in width with a frame made of wrought
iron. The mower was pushed from behind with the motive power coming from the rear land
roller which drove gears to transfer the drive to the knives on the cutting cylinder; the ratio was
16:1. There was another roller placed in between the cutting cylinder and the land roller which
was adjustable to alter the height of cut. On cutting, the grass clippings were hurled forward
into a tray like box. It was soon realized, however, that an extra handle was needed in front of
the machine which could be used to help pull it along. Two of the earliest Budding machine
sold went to Regent’s Park Zoological Garden in London and the Oxford Colleges (Passmore,
1869). In an agreement between John Ferrabee and Edwin Budding dated May 18, 1830,
Ferrabee paid the costs of development, obtained letters of patent and acquired rights to
manufacture, sell and license other manufacturers in the production of lawn mowers
 6
These early machines were all made of cast iron and featured a larger rear roller with a cutting
cylinder (reel) in the front. Cast iron gear wheels transmitted power from the real roller to the
cutting cylinder. Overall, these machines were remarkably similar to modern mowers (Mower
History). Without patent, Budding and Ferrabee were shrewd enough to allow companies to
build copies of their mower under license, the most successful of these being Randsomes of
Ipswich which began making mowers as early as 1832 (Mower History). In the middle of the
decade, Thomas Green and Son of Leeds introduced a mower called the Silens Messor
(meaning silent cutter), which used chain to transmit power from the rear roller to the cutting
cylinder. These machines were lighter and quieter than the gear driven machines that preceded
them, although they were slightly more expensive (Mower History)

Thomas Green produced the first chain-driven mower in 1859. Manufacture of lawn mowers
began in the 1860s. By 1862, Farrabee’s company was making eight models in various roller
sizes. He manufactured over 5000 machines until production ceased in 1863. The first United
States patent for a reel lawn mower was granted to Amariah Hills on January 12, 1868 ("The
Hall and Duck Trust: Lawn Mower History Part 2", 2011). In 1870, Elwood McGuire of
Richmond, Indiana designed a human-pushed lawn mower, which was very lightweight and a
commercial success. John Burr, an African American, patented an improved rotary-blade lawn
mower in 1899, with the wheel placement altered for better performance. Amariah Hills went
on to found the Archimedean Lawn Mower Co. in 1871. Around 1900, one of the best known
English machines was the Ransomes’ Automation, available in chain or gear-driven models. JP
Engineering of Leicester, founded after World War I, produced a range of very popular chain
driven mowers. About this time, an operator could ride behind animals that pulled the large
machines. These were the first riding mowers. In 1902, Ransomes produced the first
commercially available mower powered by an internal combustion gasoline engine. In the
United States, gasoline powered lawn mowers were first manufactured in 1919 by Colonel
Edwin George ("The Hall and Duck Trust: Lawn Mower History Part 2", 2011)
 7

Figure 2.1: Commercial Lawn Mower in use April 1930 in Berlin

The rise in popularity of lawn sports helped prompt the spread of the invention. Lawn mowers
became a more efficient alternative to the scythe and domesticated grazing animals. James
Sumner of Lancashire patented the first steam-powered lawn mower in 1893. His machine
burned petrol and/or paraffin (kerosene) as fuel. These were heavy machines that took several
hours to warm up to operating pressure (Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Radio National
Ockham's Razor, first broadcast, 2010). After numerous advances, the machines were sold by
the Stott Fertilizer and Insecticide Company of Manchester and, later, Sumner took over sales.
The Company they controlled was called the Leyland Steam Motor Company. Numerous
manufacturers entered the field with petrol (gasoline)-driven mowers after the turn of the
century. The first grass boxes were flat trays but took their present shape in the 1860s. The
roller-drive lawn mower has changed very little since around 1930. Gang mowers, those with
multiple sets of blades, were built in the United States in 1919 by a Mister Worthington. His
company was taken over by the Jacobsen Corporation, but his name is still cast on the frames of
their gang units

2.1.2. Rotary Mowers

Rotary mowers were not developed until engines were small enough and powerful enough to
run the blades at a high speed. Many people experimented with rotary blades in the late 1920s
and early 1930s and Power Specialties Ltd. Introduced a gasoline-powered rotary mower. One
company that produced rotary mowers commercially was the Australian Victa company,
starting in 1952; these mowers were lighter and easier to use than the mowers that came before.
The first Victa mowers were made at Mortlake (Sydney) by local resident Mervyn Victor
Richardson. He made the first out of scrap in his garage and then moved to a shed behind St
Mary’s Church of England, where the first Victa mowers were manufactured and went on sale
on 20 September 1952. The new company, Victa Lawn mowers Pty Ltd, was incorporated on
13 February 1953. The venture was so successful that by 1958 the company moved to much
 8
larger premises in Parramatta Road, Concord and then to Milperra (Bellis, 2010). Two Victa
mowers, from 1958 and 1968 respectively, are held in the collection of the National Museum of
Australia (Passmore, 1869). The Victa mower is regarded as something of an Australian icon
appearing in mass at the opening of the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000

2.2. Types of Lawn Mowers

2.2.1. By hand
In hand-powered lawn mowers, the reel is attached to the mower’s wheels by gears, so that
when the mower is pushed forward the reel spins several times faster than the rubber-tired
wheels turn. Depending on the placement of the reel, these mowers often cannot cut grass very
close to lawn obstacles.

1) Push lawn mower

A push lawn mower is a kind of mower that relies on the force of the user pushing it from
behind and the sharpness of the blades to trim grass. These kinds of lawn mowers do not rely
on any other kind of power it is also known as a traditional lawn mower

Figure 2.2: A Push Lawn Mower (www.iStock/Stock-illustrations/old lawn mowers.com)

Description

A traditional push lawn mower usually has two wheels and five blades that roll in a forward
motion. A push lawn mower is best when the blades are kept sharp. When it is on use, its blades
scrape along the cutter bar. The blades can be sharpened using a black lapping technique
 9
Advantages

1. It is less expensive and affordable

2. Little or no maintenance is carry out on it since it is not powered by a source of energy

Disadvantages

1. It entails a lot of energy from the operator

2.2.3. By rotation
2) Cylinder or Reel mowers

The cylinder mower carries a fixed, horizontal cutting blade at the desired height of cut. Over
this is a fast-spinning reel of blades which force the grass past the cutting bar. Each blade in the
blade cylinder forms a helix around the reel axis, and the set of spinning blades describes a
cylinder.

Of all the mowers, a properly adjusted cylinder mower makes the cleanest cut of the grass
("Ideal Power Lawn Mower".), and this allows the grass to heal more quickly. The cutting
action is often likened to that of scissors; however, it is not necessary for the blades of the
spinning cylinder to contact the horizontal cutting bar ("Lansing & Lawnmowers".). If the gap
between the blades is less than the thickness of the grass, a clean cut can still be made.

There are many variants of the cylinder mower. Push mowers (illustrated) have no motor and
are used on small lawns. As the mower is pushed along, the wheels gears which rapidly spin the
reel. Typical cutting widths are 12 to 20 inches (510 mm)

The basic push mower mechanism is also used in gangs towed behind a tractor. The individual
mowers are arranged in a vee behind the tractor with each mower’s track slightly overlapping
that of the mower in front of it. Gang mowers are used over large areas of turf such as sports
fields or parks

A gasoline engine or electric motor can be added to a reel mower to power the reel, the wheels
or both. A typical arrangement for residential lawns has the motor spinning the reel while the
operator pushes the mower along. The electric models can be corded or cordless. Some variants
have only 3 blades in a reel spinning at great speed, and these models can cut grass which has
growntoo long for ordinary push mowers ("Lansing & Lawnmowers".). One type of reel
mower, now largely obsolete was a powered version of the traditional side wheel push mower
and was used on residential lawns. An internal combustion engine sat atop the reel housing and
 10
drove the wheels, usually through a belt. The wheels in turn drove the reel, as in the push
mower

Green (roller) mowers are used for the precision cutting of golf greens. The reel is followed by
a large roller which smooth the freshly cut lawn and minimizes wheel marks. Due to the weight,
the engine also propels the mower. Much smaller and lighter variants of the roller mower are
sometimes used for small patches of ornamental lawns around flower beds, and these have no
engine ("Lansing & Lawnmowers".).

Riding reel mowers are also produced. Typically, the cutting reels are ahead of the vehicle’s
main wheels, so that the grass can be cut before the wheels push the grass over onto the ground.
The reels are often hydraulically powered

Figure 2.3: A rotary mower with a mulching blade that rotates around the center
(www.commons.m.wikimedia.org)

2.2.4. By energy source

3) Gasoline (Petrol)

Most rotary push mowers are powered by internal combustion engines. Such engines can be
either two-stroke or four-stroke cycle engines, running on gasoline (petrol) or other liquid fuels.
Internal combustion engines used with lawn mowers normally have only one cylinder. Power
generally ranges from two to seven horsepower (1.5 to 6.75kW). The engines are usually
carbureted and require a manual pull crank to start them, although electric starting is offered on
some models. Some mowers have a fixed, pre-set engine speed. They are used to clear
overgrown grass fast. Rotary mower attachment heads can slice through brush by sucking it
upward and cutting it with horizontally spinning blades. Gasoline mowers have the advantages
over electric mowers of greater power and distance range. They do create pollution from the gas
 11
in the engine ("An industry innovator for over 70 years"., 2017) and their engines require
periodic maintenance such as cleaning or replacement of the spark plug and air filter ("How do
you sella million mowers"., 2009)

Figure 2.4: A Gasoline powered rotary push mower (www.briggsandstratton.com)

Description
This rotary mower functions as follow. The crankshaft is located on the bottom of the engine
(crankcase) and rotates the blades or wheels of the equipment when it is started with a key.
When combustion occurs in the engine, it forces the piston down the cylinder, which rotates the
crankshaft which makes the mower blades turn. The operator can then push the mower to clear
the grasses
Advantages

1. It clear thick grasses since the blades are thick and are well sharpened
2. It is portable since it can be transported from one end to the other

Disadvantages

1. It uses human effort to pull and push the mower

2. High cost of maintenance
4) Electric

Electric mowers are further subdivided into corded and cordless electric models. Both are
relatively quiet, typically producing less than 75 decibels, while a gasoline lawn mower can be
as loud as 95 decibels or more. This kind of mower can also be safer to operate as they come
equipped with a dead man’s switch to immediately stop the motor when it is not being operated.
 12
i. Corded electric

Corded electric mowers are limited in range by their trailing power cord, which may limit their
use with lawns extending outward more than 100 – 150 feet from the nearest available power
outlet. There is additional hazard with these machines of accidentally mowing over the power
cable, which stops the mower and may put users at risk of receiving a dangerous electric shock.
Installing a residual-current device (GFCT) on the outlet may reduce the shock risk. On the
United States market as of summer 2008, a corded electric mower from a respectable
manufacturer costs about the same as an entry-level internal-combustion mower ($150 – 200?),
with significantly higher reliability, significantly lower cost of ownership and a significantly
reduced carbon footprint ("How do you sella million mowers"., 2009).

Corded mowers are lawn mowers powered from an electric outlet through an extension cord, so
they have unlimited run time. They are connected directly to electricity when they are being
used

In 1930s, a farmer named C.C. Stacy began to experiment with the rotary concept. He created a
suspension system for the blade that would allow his electric-powered machine to cut uniformly
across the whole lawn

Figure 2.5:A Corded Lawn Mower with rear grass catcher (www.en.m.wiktionary.org)

Description

They operate using the principle of electromagnetism which shows that a force is applied when
an electric current is present in a magnetic field. This force creates a torque on a loop of wire
present in the magnetic field, which causes the motor to spin and perform useful work. The
corded lawn mowers use DC motors which convert alternating current (AC) coming from the
switch. A long cord is used to cut grasses over a large surface area
 13
Advantages

1. No gas, reduced maintenance

2. Power when you need it
3. Quiet ride

Disadvantages

1. It uses a lot of current

2. It is quite expensive since it requires long cords
ii. Cordless electric lawn mower

Cordless electric mowers are powered by a variable number (typically 1-4) of 12 volt
rechargeable batteries. The cordless electric mowers use one of two types of batteries: lithium-
ion batteries and lead-acid batteries. Typically, more batteries mean more run time and/or
power. Batteries can be in the interior of the lawn mower or on the outside. If on the outside the
drained batteries can be replaced with recharged batteries. Cordless mowers have the
maneuverability of a gasoline powered mower and the environmental friendliness of a corded
electric but are more expensive and come in fewer models (particularly self-propelling) than
either. Disposal of worn-out batteries may negate the environment. A cordless mowers tend to
be less powerful than gasoline motors of the same total weight (including batteries)

Figure 2.6:A Cordless electric lawn mower (www.fr.m.wikipedia.org)

Description

A cordless electric lawn mower is powered by rechargeable batteries. The battery being switch
on, turns the motor of the cutting blade. A user then controls the movement of the lawn mower
 14
Advantages

1. No gas, reduced maintenance

2. Power when you need it
3. Quiet ride

Disadvantages

1. It’s expensive due to the battery used

5) A robotic mower

A robotic mower is an autonomous lawn mower used to cut lawn grasses. It is contained by a
border wire around the lawn that defines the area to be mowed. The robot uses this wire to
locate the boundary of the area to be trimmed and in some cases to locate a recharging dock.
Robotic lawn mowers are increasingly sophisticated, are usually self-docking and contain rain
sensors, nearly eliminating human interaction for mowing grass. Multiple robotic mowers can
be used to mow an even larger area

Figure 2.7: An Automatic Lawn Mower (www.alamyimages.fr)

Description

The robotic lawn mower is being powered by rechargeable batteries. This type of lawn mower
has integrated features within custom apps to adjust settings or scheduled mowing times and
frequency, as well as manually control the mower with a joystick. It contains specialized
sensors, allowing them to automatically mow around obstacles and even go to sleep when it
starts to rain. A border wire is setup by the user which defines all the coordinates of the area to
be trimmed. (Ed, 2020)
 15
Advantages

1. It is fast
2. It doesn’t require human effort

Disadvantages

1. It is very expensive

2.3. Recent Modifications on Solar Lawn Mower

Many researchers have proposed a similar design of solar based grass cutting robot. From their
different proposals we will contrast and look for possible solutions on how to improve the solar
based grass cutting robot

(Sharma, 2019), designed a fully automated solar grass cutter robotic mower poweredby
solar panel that avoids obstacles and was capable of cutting grasses without the need of any
human interaction. The system used 10V batteries to power the mower movement motors as
well as the grass cutter motor. A solar panel was also used to charge the 10V battery thereby
providing external charging for the machine. They also used a solar panel to charge the battery
so that there was no need of charging it externally. The grass cutter motors were interfaced to
an 8051 micro-controller that controlled the working of all the motors. It was also interfaced to
an ultrasonic sensor for object detection. The micro-controller moved the mover motors in
forward direction in case no obstacle was detected. On obstacle detection the ultrasonic sensor
monitored it and the micro-controller thus stopped the grass cuter motor to avoid any damage to
the object/human. Micro-controller turned the robotic as long as it gets clear of the object and
moved the grass cutter in forward direction again.

Using an ultrasonic sensor has a problem given that if the grasses are thick it will give a
feedback signal that there is an obstacle which is wrong and moreover there is no height
adjustment to cut the grass at a particular height

(Singh Shekhawat A, 2019) Designed a smartly grass cutting robot that detected obstacles
by ultrasonic sensor with servo in wide range for avoiding obstacles without any need of human
interaction. All the motors, sensors and cutting operation were automatically controlled by the
Arduino and manually by Bluetooth module. And the cutting operation was performed by a
single metallic thread which was operated by a DC motor (10000 rpm). Cutting robot batteries
charged by a charging dock which was located in the ground separately. Charging dock was
attached with the Solar panel and charging controller.
 16
In this system, a three-wheel system was designed which creates a problem in balancing
in real time working scenario and moreover there is no height adjustment to cut the grass at a
particular height.

(Dhanya N, 2013)designed an automatic solar powered grasscutter. The purpose of their

project was to design a programmable automatic pattern design grass cutting robot with solar
power which no longer requires time-consuming manual grass cutting and that could be
operated wirelessly using an Android App via Bluetooth from a safe distance; the cutting blade
was adjusted to maintain the different length of the grass. The grass cutting robot system can be
moved to the location in the garden remotely where the user wants to cut the grass directly. The
user can press the desired button from the mobile application, and the system will start cutting
grass in the required time. With the assistance of sensors positioned at the front, a barrier
detection system was introduced to enhance safety measurements to prevent risks. IR obstacle
sensors are used to detect obstacles, if any obstacles are found in front while traveling, it avoids
the barrier by taking a right turns or stop automatically, thereby preventing the collision.

Using an ultrasonic sensor has a problem given that if the grasses are thick it will give a
feedback signal that there is an obstacle which is wrong

(Hariva Anil Kadachha A, 2017) designed a fully automated solar grass cutter. The working
of fully automated solar grass cutter, it had panels mounted in a particular arrangement at an
angle of degrees a way that it received solar radiation with a high intensity from the sun. This
electrical energy was stored in batteries solar charger. The main function of the solar charger
was to increase the current from the panels while batteries are charging. It also disconnects the
solar panel from the batteries when they are fully charged and also connects to the panels when
the charging of batteries is low. The motor is connected through the motor driver IC which is
controlled by the motor performance. The power transmits to the mechanism and this makes the
blade to rotate with high speed and this makes to cut the grass at an even height. The cutter and
vehicle motor are controlled by Atmega8 microcontroller. It moves the vehicle in forward
direction. To avoid and protect the device from any human interaction or any large or small
obstacles the ultrasonic sensor is used
Using an ultrasonic sensor has a problem given that if the grasses are thick it will give a
feedback signal that there is an obstacle which is wrong and moreover there is no height
adjustment to cut the grass at a particular height

(Palve S, 2018)design a Solar powered automatic grass cutter machine. This project
described the solar powered automated grass cutter machine which made the grass cutter
 17
machine running through solar energy. Their proposed system design eliminated the human
efforts in grass cutting field such as lawn. The solar grass cutting machine was a robotic vehicle
powered by solar energy that avoided obstacles and was capable of been automated and manual
grass cutting. The system used 12-volt battery to power the vehicle movement motor as well as
the grass cutter motor. A solar panel was used to charge the battery so that there was no need of
charging it externally. The movement of machine was totally controlled by automatic mode and
manual mode. 'Bluetooth controller 'play store application runs this machine movement and
direction through an android application. The main target of their machine was to reduce human
efforts.

In their system the limitation was that there is no height adjustment

(Priva Ghate A, 2022) designed an automatic solar-powered grass cutter. The automatic
solar grass cutter functioned as follow it had panels positioned in an exceedingly particular
arrangement to accept sun energy from the sun with high intensity. A solar battery was
employed to charge the battery, so that there was no need of charging it externally. They used a
12-volt battery to power the vehicle movement motor and the grass cutter motor. The
movement of machine was completely controlled by automatic mode with the assistance of
8051 family microcontrollers. ‘Bluetooth controller ‘play store application runs this machine
movement and direction through an android application. The instructions of operation are
received over the Bluetooth for wireless and long-range communication with low-cost option
for communication. The most target of this machine was to scale back human efforts

The limitation in their system is they designed a three-wheel system which creates a
problem in balancing in real time working scenario and they used a smaller cutting blade which
would take time to clear a piece of lawn

(Takpere A, 2020) Worked on automated solar powered lawn mower using IOT.The
robotic vehicle was equipped with a grass cutter blade that allowed grass cutting at high RPM.
The primary energy source was sunrays which are converted into electrical energy using the
solar panels and charging system on this device. The system also had a smart functionality that
allowed it to cover the complete area of the lawn on its own and detected obstacles using an
ultrasonic sensor. Their efficient system used a NODE MCU microcontroller in order to
achieve this functionality. It controlled the movement of the motors used for rotating-blades and
movement of this device. This device was operated remotely using IOT. The lawn mower was
turned on with the help of a web based application and being automated, it does rest of the job
on its own.
 18
The limitation in their system is they designed a three-wheel system which creates a
problem in balancing in real time working scenario and their system lack height adjustment of
the length of the grasses

From the above different designs made by the various researchers here is the summary of
limitations from their work

1. There is no height adjustment to cut the grasses at a particular height

2. They used a yellow DC geared motor incorporated at the level of the fore tyres which
does not provide enough torque to push the robotic car in a bushy area
3. Some used a three-wheel system which creates a problem in balancing in real time
working scenario and others used a four-wheel system had to use four yellow DC geared
motors
4. we noticed that most system used a smaller blade which takes time to clear grasses

To improve the following, here is the possible features which we will included on our solar
lawn mower to solve the problems above

2.4. Proposed System

2.4.1. Working Principle
The solar lawn mower works in a semi-automatic mode that is it is remotely controlled by a
Radio Frequency module called NRF24L01 module incorporated on a gamepad. An Arduino
pro mini is programmed and interfaced with NRF24L01 module, 4 push buttons and 2 joysticks
of the gamepad for wireless communication of beyond 100 meters from the receiver. The solar
lawn mower is powered by a solar panel of 12W which is inclined at an angle to receive
maximum sun rays. This energy is stored through a 12V battery and regulated by a charge
controller. The microcontroller here is Arduino Uno which is interface with two Nema 17
stepper motors controlling the direction and speed of the front tyres and the DC motor controls
the cutting blade. The robotic vehicle has a four-wheel configuration system. The height of the
grasses can be adjusted manually with a nut along a vertical threaded column and the lawn
mower can be dismantled along the four wheels of the robotic car with a bolt therefore making
it to be portable.

With this system put in place the solar lawn mower can be used in gardens, football fields and
the University of Bamenda environments due to height adjustment. The block diagram below
illustrates the working principle of the semi-automatic solar lawn mower
 19
2.4.2. Block Diagram

Figure 2.8: Block diagram of a semi-automatic solar lawn mower

2.4.3. Advantages
 The system is use everywhere since it doesn’t require direct current or gasoline to be
powered on
 With the use of the radio frequency module (NRF24L01), the operator can mow 1
hectare of lawn area
 The Nema 17 stepper motors have larger torque
 The height of the system is adjusted manually
 The lawn mower is dismantled hence portable and easily transported
 20

CHAPTER THREE

MATERIALS AND METHOD

3.0. Introduction
In this chapter, we will discuss on the design and construction of our semi-automatic solar lawn
mower. Here, we will bring out all the designs required to construct the lawn mower. The
research question of what parameters will be considered to design our machine and which
mechanical and electrical processes can one undergo to construct the lawn mower will be
developed at the end of this chapter so as to accomplish our stated objectives in chapter one.

3.1. Conceptual Design of the Semi-Automatic Solar Lawn Mower

Under Conceptual Designs, the selection of materials and methods was studied.

3.1.1. Material Selection

The process of material selection is one of the most important processes. The main factor of
material selection is to discuss and finalize which materials that will be use in the project in
order to avoid wasting of money and time. The material selection was done precisely so that the
risks could be avoided. In material selection we looked at the following

 Determination of power of motor used for the cutting blade

 Determination of Torque of motors at the front tyres
 Selection of solar panel
 Selection of battery to be used

3.1.1.1. Determination of the Power of Motor Used for the Cutting Blade
Mower blades are the cutting components of lawn mowers. They are usually made of sturdy
metals as they must be able to withstand high-speed contact with various objects in addition to
grass. The materials used (as well as size, thickness and design of the blades) vary by
manufacturers. Galvanized steel was selected with a density of 7922kgm -3 in accordance with
what was used by (Igbokwe, 2019). The shearing force of most annual and perennial grasses
found on most lawns is usually between 9.20 N and 11.51 N; however, it depends on the height
of the grass, type of grass as well as grass density in the area. The calculations were done in
accordance to (Igbokwe, 2019)
 21

Figure 3.9:Dimension of Cutting Blade (Djepang, 2023)

The cutting blade is made up of galvanized steel of material EN ISO 1461. It has a length of
200mm, width of 30mm and thickness 2mm.

Area of blade, Ac

The area of the blade was calculated as

2
Areas of blade=Length x width=200 mm x 30 mm=6000 mm

Volume of blade, V

The volume of the blade was calculated as

2 3
Volume of blade=Area x Thickness=6000 mm x 2 mm=12000 mm

Mass of blade, M

The mass of the blade was calculated as

−9
Mass of blade=Density x Volume=7922 x 12000 x 10 =0.095 kg

Weight of blade, W

The weight of the blade was calculated as

Weight of blade=Mass x Acceleartion due ¿ gravity=0.095 x 9.81=0.93195 N

Torque, T

The torque produced by blade was calculated as

Torque produced by blade=Weight x radius=0.93195 x 0.1=0.093195 Nm

Angular Velocity,ω

The angular velocity was calculated using the formula

 22
2π x N
ω=
60

Where N is the rotational speed of the selected motor (10,000 rpm)

2 π x N 2 π x 10,000
Therefore ω= = =1,046.67 rads /sec
60 60

Power, P

The power developed was the product of torque and angular velocity

Power=Torque x Amgular velocity=0.093195 x 1,046.67=97.5 W

From the calculations above the minimum power is 97.5 W with a rotational speed of 10,000
rpm. So a DC motor which has a greater power and RPM since some power will be loss as heat
energy was used thereby making efficiency not to be 100%.

So we choose a Lawn mower kit DC with RS – 775VF Motor which has the following
specifications from table 3.1

Table 3.1: Lawn mower kit DC with RS – 775VF Motor

(https://wemos.net/products/409/details)

Specifications Dimensions
Operating voltage: 12V/24V Motor size 66.5 x 42 mm
Maximum Torque 2kg Motor shaft size 5 x 16 mm
Power 120W RPM 10,000/20,000
Load current 1.2 A
Weight 400g
 23
Figure 3.2 below shows the diagram of a RS – 775VF DC motor

Figure 3.10:Lawn mower kit DC with RS – 775VF Motor (www.wemos.net/products)

3.1.1.2. Determination of the Torque of the Motors Used to Control the Front Tyres
Let’s consider a lawn to be mowed grasses along the horizontal. A larger torque from the
motors was used to propel the lawn mower forward. The figure below shows the force diagram
of the solar lawn mower

Figure 3.11:Force Diagram of the Solar Lawn Mower

From the force diagram the coefficient of friction (µ) between the grass and the mower is 0.2
from (Peter D. Cenek, 2000)

The mass of the mower (M) was measured to be 30 Kg

The acceleration due to gravity (g) = 9.8 N/Kg

From the force diagram above, the force equation will be

Applying the Newton’s second law of motion

 24
F−F r=0 (1)

But F r=μN ( 2)

But N=Mg (3)

Substituting (2) and (3) in (1) gives

F−μMg=0(4)

Therefore F=μMg

−1
F=0.2 x 30 Kg x 9.8 N Kg =58.8 N

Radius of tyre, r = 0.15m

Torque, T =F x r=58.8 N x 0.15 m=8.82 Nm

The value of the force obtained above the force required by two motors. That means each motor
requires 4.41 Nm torque to move the lawn mower forward. So we choose a 24V V DC gear
Motors since it has a high torque and high speed. Table 3.2 below is the datasheet of 24V V DC
gear motors

Table 3.2:Nema 17 Stepper Motor Specifications

Specifications Designation
Rated Voltage 24V
Rated Power 70 W
No load current 2A/2.5A
Loaded current 7.5A /9A
No load Speed 45/65 RPM
Loaded Speed 50/100 RPM
Stall Current 35A Max
Stall Torque 35Nm

Figure 3.4 below shows the diagram of a DC gear motor

 25

Figure 3.12: 24V DC 35W Worm Gear motor (www.wiltronics.com)

3.1.1.3. Selection of Battery

The battery is selected based on its storage capacity and voltage. The design power was
determined using equation 1

I xV
Design power= (1)
Power factor of the m achine

Where I is the expected current to be drawn by the motor, V is the expected voltage of the
battery (12 V) using two battery connected in parallel gives 24V, and the power factor is 0.8.
Current used to power the motor is given as;

Design power x power factor of the machine 97.5+70 x 0.8

I= = =5.58 Amps
V 24

The total battery capacity will be 24 Ah at 24 Volts, it is expected to discharge after (24
Ah/5.58 A = 4.3 hours). Figure 3.5 shows the diagram of a 12V DC rechargeable battery
 26

Figure 3.13:12V DC Rechargeable Battery (www.battlebornbatteries.com)

3.1.1.4. Selection of Solar Panel

A solar panel is chosen base on how fast it can charge a battery fully. In the course of shearing
the grasses, the battery may run down so a solar panel is required to charge up the battery as it
gets low. The solar panel is inclined at an angle to trap maximum sun lights. The solar panel is
connected to the PWM charge controller which controls the amount of current entering the
battery thereby preventing excessive charging which can destroy the battery. Here, we choose a
18V, 30W solar panel as seen on the diagram below

Figure 3.14:18V, 30W Solar Panel (www.sunstore.co.uk/product)

 27
It has the following specifications

Table 3.3:Solar Panel Specification

Specification
Panel size 670 mm (W) x 360 VMP – Max Power 18 V
mm (h) x 25 mm (d) Voltage
Weight 3.0 kg IMP – Max System 1.67 A
Current
Peak power 30 W Max System Voltage 1000VDC
VOC – Open Circuit 22 V Number of Cells 36
Voltage
ISC – Short Circuit 1.8 A
Current

Calculation of the time to charge the 2, 12 V battery fully connected in parallel

Solar panel system has the following;

- 24 volts, 24 Ah lead acid battery

- 30W solar panel
- PWM charge controller

Current from the solar panel is 1.67 A

24 Ah
Time to charge the two batteries will be, t= =14.37 hrs
1.67 A
 28
3.1.2. Method Selection
The methodology used to construct our lawn mower system is the scientific approach. In this
approach we looked at how the system can be controlled

3.1.2.1. To Design a Control System

A control system is a system, which provides the desired response by controlling the output.
Before designing sensors, actuators or control architectures, it is important to know the goals,
that is why we formulated the control objectives

- What does one want to achieve?

- What variables need to be controlled to achieve these objectives?
- What level of performance is necessary?

Given that our system is remotely control by a game pad made up of two joysticks, four push
buttons and a radio communication device (Nrf24L01 transceiver module), the system is said to
be semi-automatic. The control system consists of an open-loop control system since there is no
sensor to give feedback signals.

An open loop system is a type of control system in which the output of the system depends on
the input but the input or the controller is independent of the output of the system

In our open loop control system, the position of the two joysticks controls the system. Given
there are two joysticks; the right joystick controls the direction of the DC gear motor and the
left joystick controls the speed of the DC gear motor.

 Input: The position (angle of inclination) of the joysticks

 Controller: Control the voltage
 Output: Speed and direction of DC gear motor
 29
Block Diagram of the Open Loop System

Figure 3.15: Block Diagram of the Open Loop System

Transfer Function of the System

The transfer function of the system is given below

R(s) E(s) C(s)

+ G(s)

Figure 3.16: Transfer Function of the Control System

Where

R(s) = Reference Input signal (Position of the Joysticks)

G(s) = Forward Path Transfer Function (Control of Voltage)

C(s) = Output Signal (Speed and Direction of the lawn mower and Rotational speed of DC
motor of cutting blade)

E(s) = Error signal (Wind and topography of surface)

C(s)
The gain function is calculated as G ( s )=
R(s)
 30
The maximum angle of inclination of the joystick was found to be 20 degrees and the maximum
voltage is 12V. Hence the angle of inclination is directly proportional to the voltage

θ ∝V

Therefore θ=kV , k is a constant of proportionality

G(s ) θ 20 °
=k= =
R( s) V 12V

Given that there are two DC gear motors, its voltage controls the speed and direction of the
lawn mower. The voltage is related to the tangential velocity of the lawn mower by the formula

P=IV =Fv

Where P = Power of the DC gear motor, F = Force, V = Voltage, v = tangential velocity and I
=current

The transfer function of Nema 17 motor

G(s ) V
=
C (s) N

The voltage is related to the rotational velocity of the DC motor of the cutting blade which is
directly proportional by the formula

P=IV =Fv= ( Fr602 π ) N

Where N = rotational speed

G(s ) V
=
C (s) v

The transfer function of RS-775VF motor

Therefore, the gain function of the entire system is

C(s) N C(s) v
G ( s )= = ∨G ( s )= =
R(s) θ R(s) θ

3.2. Material Purchase

The process of materials purchasing is very important to collect and obtains all the materials
needed. In this process a lot of research on the places and suppliers that the materials are going
 31
to be purchase is done. This step is important so that the risk of material wasting or money-loss
will not happen. However, to carry out material purchasing, a well-made purchasing plan
needed to be made. First, the suppliers will be contacted to make sure the availability of the
materials. Therefore, we had even visited the suppliers store to bargain and get the right price as
well. Then, the calculation of the amount of materials needed and also the price of the
materials. After that, surveys of price must be carried out to determine the better selling prices.
Then finally, the purchases could be made

3.2.1. Materials
Table 3.4 shows the mechanical materials, number and where they were been bought for the
construction of the semi-automatic solar lawn mower

Table 3.4:Mechanical Materials

S/N Mechanical Materials Location Number

1 Square tube (25 x 25 x 1) Mile 3 Nkwen, Opposite farmer 1
2 Square tube (30 x 30 x 1) house 1
3 Tyre Bamenda, Sonac Street 4
4 Ball bearing 2
5 Bolt and nut Mile 3 Nkwen, Opposite farmer 8
6 Graphite electrode house ½ packet
 32
Table 3.4 shows the electronic components, number and where they were been bought for the
construction of the semi-automatic solar lawn mower

Table 3.5:Electronic Components

S/N Electronics components Location Number

1 DC motor Douala 1
2 DC gear motor 2
3 Arduino Uno 1
4 Arduino pro mini 1
5 Jumper cables 10
6 Game pad 1
7 Nrf24L01 module Bamenda Up station 2
8 Solar panel 1
9 12V Battery 2
10 Relay 7
11 Bulk Boost 1
12 LEDs and resistors
13 Matrix board 1

3.2.2. Equipment
Mechanical Equipment

The mechanical framework of our project was constructed in Syrille and son’s mechanical
workshop at Mile 3 Nkwen and the equipment used to realize are as follows

- Graphite electrodes
- Welding machine
- Measuring tape
- Set square
- Hack saw
- Bench vise

Electronic Equipment

At Shutronics Workshop we were able to design and realize the electrical part of the project and
the equipment used were as follows;
 33
- Multimeter
- Electron glue gun
- Solder iron and lead
- Laptops

3.3. Construction of the Semi-Automatic Solar Lawn Mower

After selecting our materials, purchasing them and selecting the appropriate method, we shall
proceed to the construction phase. The construction phase will be sub divided into two groups;
namely the Electrical Construction and the Mechanical Construction

3.3.1. Electrical Construction

Given that our system is being remotely control, the electrical construction will be divided into
two that is at the transmitting end and at the receiving end

3.3.1.1. The Transmitter

The transmitter is an electronic device used in telecommunication to send signals or command
at a distance with the aid of an antenna. Here, in our project we have a transmitter which is
made up of two joysticks, Nrf24L01 transceiver module, four push buttons, arduino pro mini
and a 9v DC battery. The transmitter controls the direction and speed of the robotic car and the
rotation of the cutting blade simultaneously. We will elaborate the different components of
what the transmitter is made of. The block diagram of the transmitter is as shown below

Block Diagram

Nrf24l01 Module 9V Battery

Push button 1 Push button 3

Microcontroller
Push button 2 Push button 4

Left Joystick Right Joystick

Figure 3.17: Synoptic diagram of the remote control

 34

1. Nrf24L01 Transceiver Module

The Nrf24l01 is used on a wide variety of applications that require wireless control. They are
transceivers which mean that each module can transmit and receive data. It can transmit data
with a frequency of 2.4 GHz at a rate of 250kb/s which is the range of radio signals. The range
of the antenna is within 1,000m. It has low power consumption and an input voltage of 3.3V
and current of 1.2mA.

Figure 3.18: Nrf24L01 Transceiver Module (www.robomart.com)

2. Joysticks

The analog joystick is similar to two potentiometers connected together, one for the vertical
movement (Y-axis) and other for the horizontal movement (X-axis). The joystick is used to
control movement or directions. In our project the joysticks control the speed and direction of
the robotic car

Figure 3.19: Joysticks (www.aranacorp.com)

 35
3. Push Buttons

It is called tactile button or momentary switch. It is a basic component and widely used in many
Arduino projects to turn on or off a command. In our project we have four of them. Two push
buttons are used to switch on and off the Nema 17 stepper motor and the other two are used to
switch on and off the DC motor

Figure 3.20: Push Buttons (www.tertiaryrobotics.com)

4. Arduino Pro Mini

It is a microcontroller board based on the ATmega328P, it has 14 digital input/output pins (of
which 6 can be used as PWM outputs), 6 analog inputs, an on-board resonator, a reset button
and holes for mounting pin headers. This board was developed for applications and installations
where space is premium and projects are made as permanent set ups. They are available in 3.3V
and 5V versions

Figure 3.21: Arduino Pro Mini (www.arduino.com)

 36

3.3.1.2. Receiver
The receiver is an electronic device used in telecommunication to receive signals or command
at a distance with the aid of an antenna. Here in our project, we have components that have
been interfaced with the microcontroller (Arduino Uno) which make up the receiver. The
receiver executes the commands given from the transmitter. The commands given here are to
control the movement (speed and direction) of the robotic car and the switching on and off of
the DC motor carrying the cutting blade. The figure below is the block diagram of the receiver

Block Diagram
DC Gear Motor

Solar Panel

DC Gear Motor
Charge
Controller

Bulk Microcontro Nrf24l01

Boost ller receiver
12V Battery

Relay

DC Motor

Figure 3.22: Synoptic diagram of the receiver

 37
1. Arduino Uno

The Arduino Uno is an open-source microcontroller board based on the microchip

ATmega328P microcontroller and developed by Arduino.cc. the board is equipped with sets of
digital and analog input/output (I/O) pins that may be interfaced to various expansion boards
(shields) and other circuits. The board has 14 digital I/O pins (six capable of PWM output), 6
analog I/O pins and is programmable with the Arduino IDE (Integrated Development
Environment), via a type B USB cable. It can be powered by the USB cable or by an external 9-
volt battery, though it accepts voltages between 7 and 20 volts.

Figure 3.23: Arduino Uno (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arduino_uno)

2. Buck Boost

A buck-boost converter is a DC-DC converter with an output voltage that can be higher or
lower than the input voltage. In our project we used a LTC3442 buck boost converter since it
was affordable. The LTC3442 is a micro power synchronous buck-boost DC/DC converter
integrated circuit with automatic burst mode operation and it can drive the output voltage and
current above or below the input voltage and current, it has an input voltage range between
2.4V to 5.5V and output voltage range between 5V to 35V. To power the Arduino Uno with a
12V battery we used a buck boost to step down the voltage to 5V since the Arduino Uno is
powered with 5V.
 38

Figure3.24: Buck Boost (www.components101/modules.com)

3. Relay

A 5V relay is an automatic switch that is commonly used in an automatic control circuit to

control a high-current using a low-current signal. We used a 5V relay because it can control
low-current signal of 70 mA at 5V to 10A at 250V DC or AC. In our project the relay is
connected to the RS – 775VF DC Motor.

Figure 3.25: 5V Relay (www.elprocus.com)

4. Solar Charge Controller

A solar charge controller is an electronic device that regulates the voltage and current coming
from the solar panel to the battery. It ensures that the deep cycle batteries are not overcharged
during the day and that the power doesn’t run backwards to the solar panels overnight and drain
the batteries

We choose a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) Solar charge controller over MPPT (Maximum
Power Point Tracking) since it is less expensive. This operates by making a continuous directly
from the solar panel to the battery. During bulk charging, when there is a continuous connection
from the solar panel to the battery, the panel’s output voltage is ‘pulled down’ to the battery
voltage. As the battery charges, the voltage of the battery rises, so the voltage output of the
solar panel rises as well, using more of the solar power as it charges. Hence the nominal voltage
of the solar panel must match with the voltage of the battery
 39

Figure 3.26: A 10A, 12V- 24V PWM Solar Charge Controller (www.fruugo.it/solar-
charge-controller.com)

The other components can be seen above under material selection

3.3.1.3. Programming on Arduino Software

The block diagrams of the transmitter and receiver enabled us to come out with the code of
instruction which were programmed on an Arduino Integrated Development Environment
(IDE) with the knowledge of C and C++ programming language. The codes were compiled and
tested which were successful.

Figure 3.27: Program Codes of the Semi-automatic Solar Lawn Mower

3.3.1.4. Design and Simulation on Proteus Software

Proteus is a software used primary for electronic design automation and used to create
schematics and electronic prints for manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCB). The
schematics of the transmitter and the receiver was developed and simulated on Proteus Design
 40
Suite version 8.7 which were used to manufacture the PCB with the help of the codes. The
schematic is as shown below

Figure 3.28: Schematics of the Control System

 41

3.3.1.5. Flow Chart of the System

The flow chart show the different steps on how the microcontroller will function based on the
code uploaded to it

START

Turn on DC gear motor

Move Forward

No If there Yes
are
grasses

Move forward Turn on DC motor

No Yes
If you
meet an
obstacle

Turn left or right

After done clearing

STOP DC Gear

Motor and DC motor

Figure 3.29: Flow Chart of the System

 42
3.3.2. Mechanical Construction
In the mechanical construction we will look at the kinematic diagram and its functioning
mechanism. We will construct a lawn mower with an adjustable cutting height and bring out the
detail and manufacturing drawings of each part

3.4.2.1. Kinematic Diagram

Figure 3.30: Kinematic Diagram of the Solar Lawn Mower

Table 3.6 shows the different parts of the semi-automatic solar lawn mower

Table 3.6: Legend of the Solar Lawn Mower

Ref Designation
1 Tyre
2 Bolt
3 Dismantle
4 Solar Panel
5 Box containing microcontroller
6 Cutting blade
7 DC Motor
8 Adjustable column
9 Ball Bearing
10 Steering
11 DC Gear Motor
 43

3.4.2.2. Functioning Mechanism

The solar lawn mower is powered by a solar panel4 of 18W which is inclined at an angle to
receive maximum sun rays. This energy is stored through two 12V battery connected in parallel
and regulated by a charge controller. The microcontroller 5 here is Arduino Uno which is
interface with two DC gear motors 11 controlling the direction and speed of the front tyres and
the DC motor 7controlling the cutting blade 6. The robotic vehicle has a four-wheel 1
configuration system. The steering 10 contains two ball bearings 9 which rotate when taking a
left or right direction. The lawn mower is dismantled into three parts with a bolt 5 (screw and
nut) 2 along the four wheels of the robotic car. The height of the cutting blade is adjusted
manually using a nut along a vertical threaded column 8

3.4.2.3. Constructing the Solar Lawn Mower with Adjustable Cutting Height
The mechanical framework of the solar lawn mower was constructed following the different
mechanical processes

Dimensioning

We used a 3D modeling software called SolidWorks to produce the 2D detail drawings of each
part of the mechanical framework. The detailed drawings of each part can be seen under
appendix

Cutting

From the detailed drawings of each part, the square tubes of dimensions 25 x 25 x 1 and 30 x 30
x 1 were cut accordingly. To perform the cutting process, firstly, a measuring tape was used to
measure the length. Secondly, a set square was used to mark the line incline at 45 o. Thirdly, the
square tube was fastened on a bench vise and cut using a hack saw.

Welding

After the cutting process, the next mechanical process was welding. To carry the welding
process we arrange the cut square tubes such that each part should be at 90 o to each other by
using a set square. Metal arc welding was done to assemble the mechanical framework of the
lawn mower where graphite electrodes attached to the holder of the welding machine were
used.
 44

Figure 3.31: Welding carried out at Syrille’s Workshop

Drilling

A hole of diameter Ø10 was drilled on frame 2 using a portable drilling machine following the
detail drawing. Four bolts of diameter Ø10 was welded on it. The function of the bolts was to
assemble the three frames together as shown below
 45
Painting

The complete assembly of the mechanical framework was painted using the color green which
stands for the green vegetation. The painting prevented the mechanical framework from
corroding.

Figure 3.32: Painting of the Solar Lawnmower

Adjusting the Cutting Height

Lawn mowers are being used to mow Sports field, Playgrounds, Residential Gardens and Public
Parks. These lawns are mowed at different height depending on the operator. Mowing lawns at
different heights makes it look attractive and beautiful. We constructed an adjustable lawn
mower with the cutting blade mounted on the shaft of the RS – 775VF DC Motor. The cutting
blade is fastened using a locking nut. The threaded vertical column was attached below the
sitting of the battery and fastens using two nuts.

The length of the vertical threaded column is 170 mm and has a pitch of 1.5 mm as seen on the
diagram below. So the height of the lawn mower is increased manually by adjusting it
anticlockwise and fastened using two nuts. The default height of the lawn mower is 20 mm; the
height can be adjusted manually up to 75 mm
 46

Figure 3.33: Adjustable cutting threaded column

 47

CHAPTER FOUR

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.0. Introduction
This chapter presents the results obtained from the realization of this project by showing the
procedure which led to the project’s physical design. It shows the accomplishment of the
choices made in chapter three, starting from the methodology used for the choice of materials
and tools. Under this chapter, we will briefly present the design in proteus, the results obtained
from the implemented system and discussion about the expected results and the actual obtained
result. From there we will then evaluate the efficiency of our machine

4.1. Results on Selection of Materials

The calculations made in chapter three were calculated based on assumptions so they are
regarded as theoretical values so here we will present the results of what we obtained after the
construction of the solar lawn mower

4.1.1. Result on the Determination of the Power of the Cutting Blade

The power and the number of revolutions of the desired DC motor were calculated and the
results were 97.5 W and 10,000 rpm. From this a DC motor of 120W running at 12V with
10,000 Rev/min was selected. After construction of the lawn mower we realized that the weight
of the cutting blade affected the power of the cutting blade thereby drawing more current hence
increasing the power of the DC motor up to 120 W greater than the theoretical value above.

We realized that using a cutting blade had a negative impact upon clearing like coming into
contact with an obstacle (such as small stones or gravels on the lawn) without the awareness of
the user this disturbed the functioning system of the lawn mower and more power was
dissipated and lost due to heat. In order to save energy and avoid disturbance of the system, we
decided to use a lawn rope which will reduce power loss. The figure of the swing lawn cutter is
as shown below
 48

Figure 4.34: Swing Plastic Blades for grass cutters (www.green-spares.com)

4.1.2. Result on the determination of the torque of the motors to move the mower
forward
The minimum torque required to drive the system forward was calculated and the value of 4.41
Nm was obtained. From this two DC gear motors were selected which has a maximum torque
of 35 Nm and high speed of 100 RPM. After construction of the lawn mower we realized that
more torque was required to overcome the friction between the tyre and the grass of the motor
and more power was dissipated as heat loss so in order to save energy we decided to use micro-
stepping to increase the torque of the motor and reduce power loss

4.1.3. Result on the Selection of the Appropriate Solar Panel

A monochromatic solar panel of 18V, 30W was selected to charge the battery through the
charge controller. The theoretical value obtained for a solar panel to fully charge the 2, 12V
battery was 14.37 hours. After the solar lawn mower was constructed, it took approximately 15
hours for the solar panel to completely charge the battery and the mower worked effectively for
1hr before discharging completely. The reason for the short working duration of the battery was
due to the high current draw of the electric motors

4.2. Assembling the Components of the Transmitter

The Arduino pro mini was programmed using Arduino IDE with the knowledge of C and C++
programming language. The Arduino pro mini was interfaced with one pair of the Nrf24l01
transceiver module, two joysticks and four push buttons of the game pad. The lines of code
were compiled and run. Several testing was carried out before embedding them inside a game
pad casing. The diagram below shows how the electronic components of the remote controller
were tested.
 49

Figure 4.35: Assembling of the components that make up the transmitter

The figure below shows the transmitter embedded inside a game pad casing

Figure 4.36: Components of transmitter embedded inside a game pad casing

 50

4.3. Practical Circuit and Results

After completion of the project and all test made, we noticed that the project works perfectly
well. It was designed to work in such a way

Some pictures have been taken during the final realization and testing of the circuit. The circuit
was powered with a 12V battery. Through the Nrf24l01 transceiver module of the remote
controller signals were sent to the other Nrf24l01 transceiver module of the solar lawn mower.
Push button 1 when pressed switches on the DC Motor of the cutting blade and Push button 2
when pressed switches off the DC Motor of the cutting blade through the 5V relay

Push button 3 when pressed switch on the DC gear motors and push button 4 when pressed
switch off DC gear motors. Right joystick controls the directions (forward, left, right and
reverse) of the lawn mower. Left joystick controls the speed. To go right direction, the right DC
gear motors slows down while left nema 17 stepper motor increase in speed. To go left
direction, the left DC gear motors slows down while right nema 17 stepper motor increase in
speed. Below is the practical circuit

The schematics of our receiver permitted us to obtain the PCB (Printable Circuit Board)

Figure 4.37: Receiver Components mounted on a Matrix Board

 51
4.4. Implementation of Fabrication Process
The mechanical aspect comprises of several parts which are applied together to form the frame
of the solar panel, seat for the battery and the blade design. Square tube of mild steel of
thickness (1mm) was used to design the frame. A pipe of diameter Ø50 made of mild steel was
used to design the steering of the lawn mower. Galvanized steel of thickness (2mm) was used to
design the cutting blade with dimensions 200 mm by 2 mm and was incorporated to the shaft of
the DC electric motor. The blade was designed in such a way as to create polarity when cutting
grasses at different heights and also to prevent the blade from wobbling. The blade was fastened
using a nut directly to the shaft of motor so as to generate the speed transmitted from the motor
to achieve efficient cutting operations. The fabrication process involved various manufacturing
operations such as; dimensioning, cutting, drilling and welding

4.5. Discussion
The conceptual study and realization led us to the achievement of the semi-automatic solar lawn
mower in mile 3 besides farmer’s house. Below is a picture of a prototype of the solar lawn
mower. This lawn mower is expected to mow grasses on a lawn which is controlled from a
distance using a remote control

Figure 4.38: Front View of the Semi – Automatic Solar Lawn Mower

4.6. Test Run

The solar lawn mower was conceived and constructed to solve the problems stated in chapter
one. We tested our solar lawn mowers in different places in Bamenda town. We mowed the
following places in Bamenda
 52

- The campus football field of the university of Bamenda,

- The garden in GBTHS Bamenda

- Upquarter Bambili football field

Upon mowing these areas, we change the cutting height from one lawn to the other. In other to
determine the efficiency of the machine we recorded the area covered, the time taken and the
height of the grass

Table 4.7: Test Run

Lawn Area / m2 Time taken /sec Height / mm

Campus football field 200 2,626 30
Garden in GBTHS Bamenda 150 1,978 26
Upquarter Bambili football field 100 1,623 33
Total 450 6,227
Average 150 2,075

4.7. Evaluation of Efficiency of the Semi – Automatic Solar Lawn Mower

The efficiency of the machine is considered based on the total area covered and the time taken.
To calculate the forward velocity;

Forward distance = 30m

Time taken = 100s

Average forward velocity = 30/100 = 0.3 m/s

Field Efficiency:

Theoretical Field Capacity (TFC) = forward speed x Theoretical width

Theoretical width of the blade = 0.30 m

TFC = 0.30 x 0.30 = 0.09 m2/s

Effective Field Capacity (EFC) = average area covered/ average time taken = 150 m 2/ 2,075 sec
= 0.072 m2/s

Field Efficiency = (0.072 x 0.09) x 100 = 80%

53
 54

4.8. Results
The solar powered lawnmower was constructed and tested. An average time of 2,075 sec
approximately 35 minutes was used to mow an average area of 150 m 2, and the efficiency was
80% due to the presence of obstacles which took time. During the machine operation electrical
energy of the battery was converted to mechanical energy through the blade to achieve cutting
operation. The electric circuit ensured that power was transferred from the battery to run the DC
motor and the DC gear motors, while the solar panel continuously charged the battery during
operation. The blade generated power from the DC motor at a speed of 10,000rpm. The
switching of the DC motor and the motors on and off were done using the four push buttons of
the remote controller hence the system is mutually independent. When the switch is on, the
electrical energy from the battery powers the DC DC gear motors which in turn actuates the
blade and the DC gear motors which in turn actuates the movement of the lawnmower to a
particular direction and speed. The solar panel generates current to recharge the battery, there
by compensating for battery discharge. The rotating blade continuously cuts the grass as the
mower is being propelled. During the operation it was convenient to cut grass manually at
different height using an adjustable lever mechanism attached under the seat of the battery of
the machine.

4.9. Bill of Engineering Materials and Evaluation

In this part we are going to evaluate the estimated cost of the machine based on the components
list below

Table 4.8: Cost of realization of mechanical component

S/N Mechanical Materials Price/FCFA Number

1 Square tube (25 x 25 x 1) 2,700 1
2 Square tube (30 x 30 x 1) 3,200 1
3 Tyre 8,000 4
4 Ball bearing 1,000 2
5 Bolt and nut 8,00 4
6 Graphite electrode 2,500 ½ packet
Total 18,200
Labour (60% of Material) 10,920
Transportation (10% of Material) 1,820
Grand Total 30,940
 55

Table 4.9: Cost of realization of electronic component

S/N Electronics components Price/FCFA Number

1 DC gear motor 16,000 2
2 DC motor 15,000 1
3 Arduino Uno 7,000 1
4 Arduino pro mini 4,000 1
5 Jumper cables 5,00 10
6 Game pad 3,000 1
7 Nrf24L01 module 4,000 2
8 Solar panel 13,000 1
9 12V Battery 6,000 2
10 Relay 5,00 7
11 Bulk Boost 2,000 1
12 LEDs and resistors 5,00
13 Matrix board 1,000 1
Total 72,500
Labour (30% of Material) 21,750
Transportation (10% of Material) 7,250
Grand Total 101,500
 56

4.10. User Manual

In this section a manual is developed to guide the user on how to manipulate the solar lawn
mower. The figure below is the remote controller indicating the different types of buttons.
Among these buttons some were used to control the machine

SELECT button START button

L2 button R2 button

L1 button R1 button
button
Directional
button
buttons

button
button

RIGHT analog stick/ R3 button

Mode indicator LEFT analog stick/ L3 button

ANALOG mode
button

Figure 4.39: Remote Controller of the Semi-Automatic Solar Lawn mower

Table 4.4 shows the key buttons and joysticks used to control the lawn mower system
 57
Table 4.10: Key buttons and their functionality of the Remote Controller

Button Image Button Name Function

R1 button Switch on the DC motor through the relay for which
R1
the cutting blade is attached to its shaft
R2 button Switch off the DC motor through the relay for
R2
which the cutting blade is attached to its shaft
L1 button Switch on the DC gear motors to start the
L1
movement of the lawn mower
L2 button Switch off the DC gear motors to stop the
L2
movement of the lawn mower
Right Joystick/ R3 Controls the direction (forward, right, left and
R3
button reverse) of the lawn mower

Left Joystick/ L3 Controls the speed (low or high) of the lawn

L3
button mower

Safety Rules

- The solar lawn mower was being designed solely for the mowing of grass on a lawn. It
shouldn’t be used for entertainment by children

- It is recommended that the operator to carry out survey on the area he wish to mow
before starting on the system

- Ensure that no child should play around while the mowing operation is going on

- Since the system is being control from a distance make sure you are at least 1m from the
lawn mower. This allows better vision of the operator so as to avoid obstacles along the
way

- After the mowing operation disconnect the battery from the system and charge it for the
next mowing operation

- In case the system goes out of control do not panic simply press the emergency button to
stop the lawn mower
 58

CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.0. Introduction
In this section we will discuss on the limitations of our solar lawn mower and the possible
recommendations for those who wishes to further their studies

5.1. Conclusion
“DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A SEMI-AUTOMATIC SOLAR LAWN MOWER
WITH ADJUSTABLE CUTTING HEIGHT” is the greatest academic achievement that we
have done so far. This project was done following all the analysis in this document. This
machine will serve its intended purpose based on our findings. It is less strenuous, efficient and
easy to manipulate by skillful people.

This machine was realized with many difficulties; like power failure, some materials for
manufacturing were scarce like the tyres and the DC motor for cutting grass

We can say our objectives stated in chapter one has been achieved and our hypothesis stated in
chapter one were all null

5.2. Recommendation
As stated above: our machine is not ideal or perfect. There are certain improvements that
must be done. Hence we give the following recommendations to those who are interested in this
project and wish to further its study

- Using a 24V, 24 Ah Battery didn’t allow our solar lawn mower to be powered for long
so we recommend the construction of a solar lawn mower with a larger battery capacity
size that can keep the system on for a long time

- Our mechanism was designed with the cutting blade at the centre just below the battery
seating thereby more energy was used to overcome friction between the tyres and the
grass so we recommend the construction of a solar lawn mower with the cutting blade
being placed in front so as to ease movement cause by friction.

5.3. Limitations of Study

For all machines produced limitations are being made so as to enhance the proper functioning
of the system. Our project has the following limitations

The semi-automatic lawn mower cannot be used on a non-flat surface

 59
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