1. Marketable, Stackable Seed Starter Kit
Senior Design Project 16419
Team Members : Cheyo Rogers (ME), Stephen Piatkowski (ME), Chidum Okoye (ME), Muhamad Sohimi Ibrahim (IE)
Faculty Guide : Sarah Brownell
Problem Statement
Rochester Roots, a local non-profit organization, in conjunction with the Montessori School requested a seed starter kit to be built to help educate students on the life cycle of plants. A seed starter kit is a semi-enclosed unit that allows the user to place sees inside the unit and monitor aspects of their growth with the goal of planting during the harsh winter and transplanting them outside in the spring.
Key Objectives
1. Design a smaller frame that can be stackable and fit on countertops in the classroom and at homes.
2. Add a light source to provide energy for plant growth and sensors to measure the light intensity, soil moisture, and temperature.
3. Display the sensor readings to allow for students and teachers to monitor the conditions.
Project Timeline
November – Concept Selection
Engineering and Customer Requirements
Benchmarking
Brainstorming Concepts
Evaluation of concepts
Selecting the concept
December – Sub-System Level Design
Frame
Lights
Sensors and Display
Validation of each subsystem
Bill of Materials
Risk Management
January – System Level Design
System level validation
Putting sub-systems together
Attaching lights, sensors, and displays to frame
February – System Building
Complete the building process
Purchase any other parts missed
Problem tracking
March – Testing and validation
Completion of test plans
Reviewing test results
Confirm results and progress with Customer
April – Documentation
Assembly Instructions
Drawing Package
Paper and Poster
May – Finished Model
Complete working model
Deliver to customer
Imagine RIT
Visual and Audio Feedback Display
Telescoping Seat Height w/ Pin-lock
Pivoting Arm w/ Locked Positions
Pillow Block Ball Bearing To Allow Lateral Tilt (X2)
Pedal With Built In Resistance Knob (Purchase)
Wheels For Portability
Spring compression adjusted with Winch
Winch Placement
Pulley Mechanism
Pin-lock control for upright “Locked Position”
Winch Remote Control
Design Specifications and Test Results
*values highlighted in yellow are the values achieved on the final prototype
Specification Number
Customer Need Number
Design Specification
Importance To Customer
Unit of Measure
Marginal Value
Ideal Value
Test Result
Most Important 1
3,10,22, 7
Safe 9
Binary
Pass
All foreseeable hazards in the FMEA have been counteracted. 2
1,2,5,16,18,19
Tilt Range
Degrees
0 - 8
0 - 15
Usable range for patients was determined to be 10.5 degrees. 3
Levels of Tilt
Levels
Infinite
Inifnite levels of tilt with winch control. 4
10,22
Upright Locked Position
Force test passed. 5
Tilt Resistance Range
Lbs
0 to >150 6
3,21
Auditory Feedback of Tilt
Decibels
Piezo audio indicators range from 60 dB to 81 dB. 7
4, 17
Non-alternating Handle Bars
Traditional handlebars used. 8
10, 12
Seat Height Range (pedal to seat)
Inches
<27 to >34
Actual range: inches.
10, 13
Handlebar Height (vertical dist. - seat to handlebar)
9 - 10
<9 to >10
Actual range: inches at each seat height 10
10, 14
Handlebar Reach (horizontal dist. - seat to handlebar)
<15 to >19
Actual range: inches. 11
Cross member height
0 - 24
<12
Actual Height: 5 inches 12 13
Bike Capacity
Capable of withstanding atleast 310 lbs.
Visual Feedback of Tilt
Fail
Survey test passed. 14
7, 14
Portability - Force needed to transport bike 51
<51
Max force needed to lift rear of bike: 50 lbs 15
Pedal Resistance
Ft-Lbs
Constant
Variable
Pedal resistance is variable with friction knob adjustment. 16
9, 12
Seat Size
>10
Seat width: 12 inches 17
Adjustment Tools -
Basic Tools
Hand
All adjstments can be made by hand. 18
7, 20
Force needed to bring patient to Upright Locked Position
No manual force required. Winch can be used to upright patient. 19
Service Intervals
Frequency
Once/year
Never
Bearings and pulleys must be greased once per year.
Least Important 20
Color
Potential Future Improvements
1) Integrate winch with feedback system to automatically adjust level of tilt, and eliminate the need for the therapist to manually adjust range of tilt. 2) Use magnetic resistance pedal assembly in place of friction resistance assembly. 3) Construct frame from lightweight aluminum.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. BES Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.