Design and construction of a solar powered shaped fruit slicer
Abstract
This project report consists of five chapters: chapter 1 is the introduction, chapter 2 is review
of literature, chapter 3 is the methodology, chapter 4 are the results, and chapter 5 comprises
of the conclusions and recommendations. Preceding these chapters are the title pages, which
include the cover page, declaration, approval, dedication, acknowledgment, and this abstract.
The introduction chapter provides the background information, problem statement,
objectives, scope, significance, and justification for this design and construction project. The
background presents a comprehensive overview of the problem in a broader context,
addressing related issues. The problem statement focuses on the limitations of the available
shaped fruit slicing machines and states the need to design and construct one that mitigates
these. Objectives guide the project, while the scope defines the boundaries within which the
project is conducted. The significance highlights the reasons for selecting this project
stressing the relevance and importance of post-accomplishment of the project, and the
justification discusses the influence the successful completion of this project will have on the
bigger national and global picture. The literature review chapter explores explanations,
theories, and principles presented by various authors regarding the traditional methods of
fruit shaping and slicing and the various machines that have been put on market to serve the
same cause. The methodology chapter outlines the methods, techniques, and approaches
employed to achieve the set specific objectives. It describes the procedures for collecting raw
data, including the types of data and the methods of recording this information. The chapter
also explains the process of converting the collected data into needs statements and finally to
target specifications. Additionally, it details the concept generation, selection, and
embodiment of the proposed shaped fruit slicing machine architecture. The results chapter
provides comprehensive details of the parametric ad detailed design of the components of the
machine. It further describes the process of prototype construction, including the tools and
workshop operations involved. A table of materials with corresponding costs for each of the
materials is also presented. Additionally, it provides an overview of the physical prototype
testing and a comprehensive discussion of the test results. The conclusion and
recommendations chapter offers technical comments on the process and the results. It
presents recommendations as a way forward for the project, addressing the identified gaps
and suggesting areas for further research and improvement. It also summarizes the key
findings and highlights the significance of the project's outcomes. The appendix and
References are the last contents of this report. The appendix provides supplementary content including photographic images of the fabricated shaped fruit slicing machine. References are
provided to acknowledge the sources of information and literature used in the proposal and
thesis, including websites, books, and other relevant documents.