Design Evolution and Improvements 🌿🚀¶
The AgroLink project has evolved significantly, transitioning from a basic prototype to a refined, efficient, and user-friendly system. Let’s dive into how the project transformed, addressing both functionality and space optimization! 🤓✨
Initial Project Design Overview 🛠️¶
Our initial design was exciting but far from perfect. It featured a simple upward drag door mechanism, a massive bird sink (taking up nearly a quarter of the system 😅), and a cramped section for electronics and the rain gauge. Despite its potential, we quickly realized a few issues:
In case you are interested in downloading the design’s SolidWork file: Click here to download
- Oversized Sink: The sink was way too big for birds! 🐦💧
- Tiny Electronics Space: The compartment was way too small to fit the sensors and electronics properly. 📦
- Plant Cover: The plant cover was too large, completely hiding the plants from view. 🌱🙈
- Excessive Height: The system was unnecessarily tall, making it hard to handle. 📏
- Wasted Space: Much of the interior was left unused, which wasn’t very efficient. 🏚️
- Poor Sensor Placement: The proximity sensor wasn’t positioned well, leading to ineffective bird detection. 👀
- Refilling Hassle: The water tank had to be removed every time it needed a refill, which was a pain. 💧🔄
- Two-Tank System: We initially planned for two tanks—one for clean water and one for wastewater, making the design overly complicated. 🤯
- Inaccurate Sensor Readings: With no airflow, the enclosed electronics caused unreliable data readings. 😕
Design Improvements 🎨🌟¶
After evaluating the prototype and giving it some deep thought, we revamped the design to ensure both functionality and efficiency. Here’s what we improved:
In case you are interested in downloading the design’s DXF & SolidWorks file: Click here to download the DXF file and here for the SolidWorks file
Note: The sink cover is not included in the files mentioned earlier. Please download the files below, which contain the missing cover. Click here to download the DXF file and here for the SolidWorks file
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Cutting Instructions:
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The cover design in the file needs to be cut four times from 12 mm wood to achieve the necessary thickness.
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Additionally, the same cover should be cut once from 2 mm acrylic, as the total depth required is 50 mm.
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Feeder Base & Proximity Sensor Placement: We added a bird feeder base and positioned the proximity sensor nearby. When the bird dips its head to eat, the sensor detects it, triggering actions. The feeder is also placed near the sink to save space. 🐦🍽️
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Expanded Electronics Space: We widened the space for electronics and the rain gauge to comfortably fit all the necessary components. 💻📏
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Improved Airflow: Ventilation holes were added to ensure proper airflow near the electronics, ensuring accurate sensor readings. 🌬️📊
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Smaller Plant Cover: We reduced the size of the plant cover so the plants are more visible. 🌱👀
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Optimized Space Usage: The system was shortened, and the interior space was maximized to ensure everything, from sensors to the pump, fit perfectly. 📐✨
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Easy Water Refilling: We added a simple water refill mechanism near the sink—no more tank removal! 💧👍
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Single-Tank System: We simplified the design by using just one water tank for clean water. Wastewater from the bird sink flows directly to the plants using gravity—no more complicated setups! 🌿💧
Component Redesigns 🛠️✨¶
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Refill Design: The water refill mechanism now looks like a cone, making it super easy to refill the tank. 🍶
In case you are interested in downloading the design’s STL file: Click here to download
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Feeder Base: The feeder base is removable for quick and easy refills. It has legs for stability and a side hole where the proximity sensor can detect bird activity. 🐦📏 [Created by Zahra]
In case you are interested in downloading the design’s STL file: Click here to download
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Sink Design:
- First Design: The original sink was flat and inefficient. Water wouldn’t properly drain to the plants, and the water level wasn’t optimal for both bird bathing and plant irrigation. 😖 (Created by Zahra)
In case you are interested in downloading the design’s STL & Fusion file: Click here to download the STL file and here for the Fusion file
- Second & Final Design: The new sink is curved, ensuring water flows efficiently to the plants. We added a bird stand made of acrylic with holes to allow water to rise and stop at the correct level, ensuring the water level sensor detects it properly. 🐦💧👌
In case you are interested in downloading the design’s STL & SolidWorks file: Click here to download the STL file and here for the SolidWorks file
In case you are interested in downloading the design’s STL & SolidWorks file: Click here to download the STL file and here for the SolidWorks file
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Valve Design: The valve design was initially taken from Thingiverse. However, it needed modifications as it didn’t pinch the tube tightly enough to fully stop the water flow. To fix this, I redesigned a small component of the valve and 3D printed multiple iterations until I achieved the desired pinch, allowing it to effectively control water flow. 💧🔧 After a few trials, the final design was efficient and reliable! 🛠️👏
In case you are interested in downloading the design’s STL & SolidWorks file: Click here to download the STL file and here for the SolidWorks file
User-Friendly Design 🏡😊¶
The new design makes the system more user-friendly! Refilling the water tank is now a breeze with the easy-access refill section, and the feeder base allows for quick food refills. For bird watchers, this means more time enjoying nature 🌿 and less time fussing with the setup. The proximity sensor placement also ensures that birds are detected efficiently, leading to less water waste and smarter system actions. 🐦💦🌱
Environmental Impact 🌎💚¶
Sustainability is key in AgroLink’s design. By opting for a single water tank and utilizing a gravity-fed system, we’ve drastically reduced power consumption and unnecessary water waste. 💡🔋 The system’s optimized space and use of eco-friendly materials further reduce its environmental footprint, making it a perfect solution for sustainable homes. 🌿🌞
Future Plans 🔮🌱¶
Looking ahead, we’re excited to explore several enhancements to AgroLink:
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Solar Power Integration: Our goal is to integrate solar panels, allowing the system to be fully self-sustaining. 🌞🔋
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Advanced Automation: We plan to introduce more automation features, such as automatic plant growth tracking and alerts based on sensor data. 📊🤖
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Outdoor Expansion: Although we had to drop the outdoor system due to time constraints, we hope to revisit this in the future, offering a comprehensive indoor-outdoor solution for sustainable homes. 🌱🏡🌍
Conclusion 🎉🌟¶
Our new design not only improves user convenience but also boosts the system’s efficiency and eco-friendliness. From better sensor placements to optimized water usage, AgroLink is ready to make homes more sustainable—one bird and plant at a time! 🐦🌿🌟