Busy professionals need an effortless and quick way to maintain clean, polished footwear throughout the workday because manual shoe shining is time-consuming, messy, and impractical while on the go.

Table 1: Questions and answers

Sl.No	Questions	Answer	Objective/Function/Constraint
1.	What is the main goal of the machine?	To polish shoe with very little manual effort	Objective
2.	How will the shoe polishing machine know when a shoe is placed inside?	The shoe is sensed by the IR sensor	Function
3.	What is the budget for shoe polishing machine ?	The budget is around RS 8000	Constraint
4.	what is the time duration to polish a pair of shoe ?	It takes around 60 to 120 seconds	Constraint
5.	Is the machine automatic,manual or semiautomatic ?	It is semi automatic	Constraint
6.	What is the electrical input and power consumption?	The unit will operate on 220–240 V, 50 Hz or a 12 V/24 V DC stepped-down adapter drawing 60–100 W total power	Constraint
7.	What are the dimensions for the machine?	500 mm (L) × 350 mm (W) × 300 mm (H)	Constraint
8.	How does the system removes surface dust before polishing?	Roller brush spins over the shoe surface for the 5 to 10 seconds	Function
9.	Is the machine beginer friendly ?	yes it is with no manual button pressing or calibration required.	Objective
10.	what is the weight of the shoe polishing mashine	It is less than 10KG	Constraint
11.	How durable should it be?	It should be long lasting	Objective
12.	How will polish be applied?	A dispenser or applicator brush transfers polish onto the shoe.	Function
13.	How will the polish be spread evenly?	A rotating or oscillating brush spreads the polish across the surface	Function
14.	How will the shine be produced	A soft buffing brush or cloth wheel rubs the surface to a gloss.	Function
15.	What materials can be used?	Locally available, low-cost materials that resist polish and moisture, such as wood, mild steel, or plastic.	Constraint
16.	How will it handle different shoe sizes?	An adjustable holder and brush position that fits different sizes	Constraint
17.	How does the system generate and transfer mechanical power to the brushes?	Converting electrical energy into rotary motion to drive the brush shafts at the required cleaning speed	Function
18.	What is the time limit for building it?	It must be designed and completed within the semester	Constraint
19.	What quality of polish is expected?	Even, streak-free shine on the whole shoe surface every time.	Objective
20.	How safe should it be for the user and the shoe?	No risk of injury or damage to the shoe, with no exposed moving parts.	Constraint

Table 2: Observation from a literature survey

Sl.No	Observation from Surveys	Requirements
1.	Weight & Portability	The machine must weigh under 10 kg for easy handling and mobility.
2.	Operation Time	Complete polishing process must take between 60 to 120 seconds per pair.
3.	Cost	Machine should be fabricated within a strict budget of Rs 8000.
4.	Durability & Materials	Materials must be low-cost, durable, and resistant to moisture and polish (e.g., wood, mild steel, plastic).
5.	Adaptability	System must adjust to accommodate standard shoe sizes (UK 6 to UK 11).
6.	User Safety	Design must have no exposed moving parts to prevent user injury or footwear damage.

Table 3: Objectives identified

Sl.No	Objectives
01	Polish shoes effectively with minimal manual effort.
02	Machine should be beginner-friendly with no calibration required.
03	Machine should be durable, reliable, and long-lasting.
04	Deliver an even, smooth, and streak-free shine every time.

The objective is to design and develop a shoe polishing system that can polish shoes effectively with minimal manual effort. The system should automatically apply and distribute polish evenly across the entire surface of the shoe, including areas that are difficult to reach manually, and produce a smooth, uniform, and streak-free shine every time. The device should be simple and beginner-friendly so that it can be operated easily without requiring special skills or experience. It should also be designed using durable and reliable materials to withstand regular use and provide long-lasting performance with minimal maintenance. Overall, the system aims to make the shoe-polishing process faster, easier, more consistent, and more convenient while maintaining a good-quality finish.

Table 4: Identified Constraints

Sl.No	Constraints
01	Machine must be semi-automatic.
02	Total weight must be less than 10 kg.
03	Maximum dimensions of 500 mm (L) × 350 mm (W) × 300 mm (H).
04	Cycle time must be within 60 to 120 seconds per pair of shoes.
05	Total budget must not exceed Rs 8000.
06	Power consumption must be 60–100 W operating on 220–240 V AC or 12 V/24 V DC adapter.
07	Must fit standard shoe sizes (UK 6 to UK 11).
08	Fabrication must be completed within the academic semester.
09	Must be made of moisture- and polish-resistant materials with zero exposed moving parts for safety.

The objective is to design and develop a semi-automatic shoe polishing system that can polish shoes with minimal manual effort while providing an even, smooth, and streak-free shine across the entire shoe surface. The system should be simple and beginner-friendly, allowing the user to insert the shoe and operate the device without requiring special skills. It should also be durable and reliable enough for repeated and long-term use.

To achieve these objectives, the system must first detect the insertion of the shoe automatically using an IR sensor. Once the shoe is detected, the system should convert electrical energy into rotary motion through suitable motors to drive the brush shafts at appropriate speeds. A high-speed roller brush should remove dust and dirt from the shoe surface before polishing. After cleaning, the system should mechanically dispense a controlled quantity of shoe polish onto the shoe surface to avoid excessive or insufficient application. The polish should then be distributed evenly using rotating or oscillating brushes so that all areas of the shoe receive a uniform coating. Finally, a soft buffing wheel should rub the polished surface to produce a smooth, glossy, and streak-free finish. The complete process should be coordinated automatically to provide consistent polishing with minimum user involvement.

Table 5: Identified Functions

Sl.No	Functions
01	Detect shoe presence automatically using an IR sensor.
02	Convert electrical energy into rotary motion via motor to drive brush shafts.
03	Remove surface dust using a high-speed roller brush (5 to 10 seconds).
04	Dispense polish automatically/mechanically onto the shoe surface.
05	Spread polish uniformly using rotating or oscillating brushes.
06	Buff the shoe surface using soft cloth wheels to achieve a high-gloss finish.

The objective is to design and fabricate a semi-automatic shoe polishing system that can polish footwear with minimal manual effort while producing an even, smooth, and streak-free shine across the entire shoe surface. The system should provide consistent polishing results and be simple enough for a beginner to operate without requiring any calibration or special technical knowledge. It should also be durable, reliable, and suitable for long-term use.

The system should detect the placement of the shoe using an IR sensor and automatically initiate the required polishing operations. Electrical energy should be converted into rotary motion using suitable motors to drive the brush shafts at appropriate speeds. The system should first remove dust and loose dirt from the shoe surface using roller brushes within 5 to 10 seconds. After cleaning, a controlled amount of polish should be dispensed onto the footwear. The polish should then be distributed uniformly over the shoe surface using rotating or oscillating brushes. Finally, soft cloth wheels should buff the surface to produce a smooth and glossy finish.

The complete polishing process should be completed within a cycle time of 60 to 120 seconds per pair of shoes. The total cost of the system should not exceed ₹8,000, and the design and fabrication should be completed within the given academic semester. The machine should weigh less than 10 kg and have maximum outer dimensions of 500 mm in length, 350 mm in width, and 300 mm in height. It should be capable of accommodating standard shoe sizes ranging from UK 6 to UK 11.

The system should operate using a standard 220–240 V AC, 50 Hz supply or a suitable 12 V/24 V DC stepped-down adapter, with a power consumption of approximately 60–100 W. The structure should be fabricated using locally available, durable, and polish- and moisture-resistant materials such as wood, mild steel, or plastic. For safe operation, all moving and rotating components should be properly enclosed or guarded to prevent accidental contact, pinch points, and possible injury to the user or damage to the footwear. The final system should therefore provide a safe, compact, economical, reliable, and easy-to-use solution for automated shoe polishing.