3. PROBLEM DEFINITION - Q-div-Engg-Exploration-2026-27-Odd/Repo-11 GitHub Wiki
NEED STATEMENT
3.1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
| SI No. | Questions | Answers | Objective | Function | Constraint |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | What is the main purpose of a food washing machine? | To automatically wash and clean fruits and vegetables. | ✅ | ||
| 2 | What is the duration of one wash cycle? | About 3–4 minutes depending upon the type of food. | ✅ | ||
| 3 | How to reduce the washing time? | Using controlled water spraying and suitable motor speed. | ✅ | ||
| 4 | How to control the conveyor speed? | Use a motor driver controlled by a microcontroller. | ✅ | ||
| 5 | How to make the machine rechargeable? | Use a rechargeable battery with a suitable charging circuit. | ✅ | ||
| 6 | What is the cost limit for the food washing machine prototype? | The total cost to make this prototype is around ₹3,000–₹4,000. | ✅ | ||
| 7 | How to sense the food (vegetable or fruits) automatically? | Using an IR sensor or photoelectric sensor. | ✅ | ||
| 8 | Can it occupy less space? | Keep the machine size approximately 50 × 40 × 50 cm. | ✅ | ||
| 9 | What warranty should be provided? | Provide a warranty of 1 to 1.5 years for the major components. | ✅ | ||
| 10 | How to make the machine eco-friendly? | Reuse filtered water and use energy-efficient components. | ✅ | ||
| 11 | Can it separate the food automatically? | Yes, by using a sorting mechanism for different vegetables. | ✅ | ||
| 12 | What should be the capacity? | The machine should have a capacity of approximately 10 kg. | ✅ | ||
| 13 | How to alert the user after washing? | Using a buzzer and LED indicators. | ✅ | ||
| 14 | How to filter the dirty water? | Use a mesh filter, sponge, and activated-carbon filters. | ✅ |
3.2 BASIC SURVEY AND REQUIREMENTS
| Sl. No. | Requirement | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Food Cleaning | The food washing machine should effectively clean fruits, vegetables, and other food items. |
| 2 | Water Spraying System | The machine should have a water spraying system for efficient and uniform cleaning. |
| 3 | Washing Chamber | A dedicated chamber should be provided for washing and containing the food items. |
| 4 | Motor | A suitable motor should be used to drive the washing mechanism efficiently. |
| 5 | Rotating Drum | A rotating drum should provide effective and uniform washing of fruits and vegetables. |
| 6 | Filter | A filter should be provided to remove dirt and unwanted particles from the washing water. |
| 7 | Drainage System | A proper drainage system should be provided for quick and efficient removal of used water. |
| 8 | Portability | The machine should be compact and portable for easy transportation and use. |
| 9 | Safety | The machine should be safe for users and designed to prevent accidents during operation. |
| 10 | Hygienic Operation | The machine should maintain hygienic conditions during the washing process. |
| 11 | Easy Maintenance | The machine should be easy to clean, inspect, maintain, and repair. |
| 12 | Low Water Consumption | The machine should consume less water and minimize water wastage. |
| 13 | High Capacity | The machine should have sufficient capacity to wash a large quantity of fruits and vegetables efficiently. |
| 14 | Food Safety | The machine should prevent contamination and avoid damage to the food items during washing. |
| 15 | Corrosion Resistance | The machine should use corrosion-resistant and food-safe materials for better durability and hygiene. |
3.3 IDENTIFYING CLIENTS OBJECTIVES
| Sl. No. | Requirement / Objective | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hygienic Cleaning | The machine should provide hygienic and effective cleaning of vegetables, fruits, and other food items. |
| 2 | Controlled Water Flow | The machine should maintain a controlled water flow to ensure effective cleaning while minimizing water usage. |
| 3 | Rotating Drum | The machine should use a rotating drum to provide uniform washing of food items. |
| 4 | Efficient Water Consumption | The machine should consume water efficiently and avoid unnecessary water wastage. |
| 5 | Prevent Food Damage | The washing mechanism should minimize physical damage to vegetables, fruits, and other food items during operation. |
| 6 | Easy Maintenance | The machine should be easy to clean, inspect, maintain, and repair. |
PROBLEM DEFINATION VERSION 1.1
Design a food washing machine which should be able to clean the fruits and vegetables efficiently and hygienic. The machine should be portable, user friendly, time saving . The machine is designed is designed in such a way that it avoids damage of fruits and vegetables.
3.4 IDENTIFYING THE CONSTRAINTS
Design Specifications and Constraints
| Sl. No. | Parameter | Specification / Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Machine Capacity | The machine should have a washing capacity of approximately 10 kg. |
| 2 | Machine Dimensions | The machine dimensions should be approximately 50 × 40 × 50 cm. |
| 3 | Warranty | The machine should have a minimum warranty period of 1.5 years. |
| 4 | Water Change Interval | The washing water should be changed at least once every 5 minutes. |
| 5 | Budget | The total manufacturing cost should not exceed ₹5,000. |
| 6 | Power Supply | The prototype should operate on a 12–24 V DC power supply. |
| 7 | Maximum Capacity | The machine should not exceed a food-load capacity of approximately 10 kg. |
PROBLEM DEFINATION 1.2
Design a food washing machine which should be able to wash within 3-4 minutes depending on the type of food. The budget shouldnot exceed 5000. The machine should have a dimensions of 50x40cm and should have a warranty of at least 1 year . The machine should have a capacity of at least 10kg.
3.5 ESTABLISH FUNCTIONS
| Sl. No. | Component / Feature | Function / Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motor Driver | Drives and controls the motor used for the washing mechanism. |
| 2 | Motor Controller | Controls the operation and speed of the motor through the motor driver. |
| 3 | Infrared Sensor | Detects the completion of the cleaning process and alerts the user. |
| 4 | Mesh Filter | Separates unwanted water and dirt from the washed fruits and vegetables. |
| 5 | Timer | Controls and sets the required washing duration. |
| 6 | Washing System | Performs the cleaning of fruits, vegetables, and other food items using controlled mechanical motion and water. |
| 7 | User Alert System | Provides an alert to the user after the completion of the cleaning cycle. |
PROBLEM DEFINATION VERSION 1.3
Design a food washing machine which should be able to hold the food. The machine is designed in such a way that it alerts the user after the fruits and vegetables are cleaned as IR sensor/buzzer is inserted inside the machine . The machine controls and sets the required washing time and seperates the unwanted water from the cleaned fruits and vegetables.
FINAL COMBINED PROBLEM DEFINATION:
To design and develop a portable, low-cost, semi-automatic, water-efficient, user-friendly household food washing machine. The machine is able to clean the fruits and vegetables without damaging. The machine can thoroughly clean of about 4-5kg of fruits and vegetables in 5 minutes with minimal human effort, using agitation, spray mechanism, operating on 12v DC safe power. The budget of the machine is about 3500-4000 and has warranty of about 1 year. The machine is designed such that it alerts the user after the cleaning process and is able to seperate unwanted water and dirt from fruits and vegetables.