Where My Engineering Journey Began.
Lead Mechanical Designer
2023-2024
SOLIDWORKS, 3D CAD Modeling, 3D Printing, Mechanical Assembly, Arduino
AGROBOT Prototype
The global demand for food is rising, yet traditional agricultural machinery remains prohibitively expensive for many farmers. We identified an opportunity to create an accessible, low-cost solution that could automate the most labor-intensive tasks: soil excavation, seeding, and watering.
Our answer was a prototype, AGROBOT. Our primary goal was to reduce human labor and operational expenses by engineering a small-scale autonomous rover capable of seeding and irrigation. To achieve this, we built a compact, battery-powered 6-wheel rover controlled by an Arduino MEGA. It was designed to autonomously navigate a predefined area while synchronously digging, dropping seeds from a custom motorized hopper, watering them via a gravity-fed solenoid system, and closing the soil back up—all in a single continuous pass. By designing almost all the core components ourselves and manufacturing them via 3D printing, we aimed to prove that modern agricultural automation didn't have to be expensive.
My primary responsibility was bringing the robot's physical form to life. I handled the 3D CAD modeling and overall mechanical design, ensuring that every printed part interacted perfectly with the commercial chassis and electronic components. I broke the mechanical system down into functional modules:
I designed the Digger to dig the soil up to 40mm deep. To minimize the impact forces generated by the terrain, I used curved geometries rather than sharp corners. The triangular shape naturally parted the earth as the robot moved forward, completely eliminating the need for a dedicated motor for excavation.
The Digger CAD Model
I modeled a rectangular, funnel-shaped hopper that utilized gravity to feed seeds. At the base, I designed a specialized, weight-reduced cylindrical disk attached to a DC motor. As the disk rotated, custom cavities caught individual seeds and dropped them into the soil at precise intervals.
Seeding Unit CAD Model
After the seeds were dropped, the soil needed to be covered. I engineered a passive mechanical component featuring two wings angled at 120 degrees. As the robot drove forward, these wings reliably guided the excavated soil back into the trench over the seeds.
The Closer CAD Model
I designed a custom platform and a 400ml water tank to house a 1/4 inch solenoid valve. I specifically designed the tank with a high vertical profile to maintain adequate fluid pressure as the water level decreased during operation.
Watering System CAD Model
Input Screen
L298N Driver
Beyond the mechanical CAD work, I physically assembled the robot and played a key role in assisting with the electronics. This was my crash course in making digital logic control physical motors.
We utilized an Arduino MEGA 2560 as the main processor, wiring it to L298N motor drivers to control the 6V 250 RPM DC motors driving the wheels and the seeding disk.
To make the robot autonomous yet configurable, we integrated a 4x20 I2C LCD screen alongside a 2-axis joystick. This setup allowed the user to input the specific dimensions of the field and configure the seed spacing before the robot executed its path-finding algorithm.
Every engineer has that one foundational project that pulls them from theory into reality. For me, it was AGROBOT. This wasn't just a technical challenge; it was the project where I taught myself how to build things from scratch.
Before AGROBOT, my knowledge of 3D design and electronics was entirely conceptual. Through this initiative, I plunged headfirst into SOLIDWORKS to model moving parts, navigated the logic of Arduino microcontrollers, and learned the intricate dance of mechatronics. It taught me the most crucial lesson in engineering: a design is only as good as its physical assembly.
Early CAD Learning & Development
The foundational skills I built during the AGROBOT project.
Transitioning from sketches to 3D spatial environments in SOLIDWORKS, learning how to design components specifically optimized for 3D printing.
Understanding the physical space required for wires, sensors, and microcontrollers, and how to design part structures that accommodate them.
Gaining hands-on experience with Arduino architecture, using analog and digital pins to control solenoids and DC motors.
Realizing that the perfect digital CAD model will inevitably face friction, tolerances, and hardware limitations in the real world.
Learning to systematically debug physical systems—from checking jumper wire continuity to diagnosing voltage drops across motor drivers.
Balancing mechanical strength with weight reduction, especially in the custom seeding disk and the gravity-fed water tank design.
AGROBOT was the spark. It proved to me that with CAD, electronics, and a 3D printer, I could build systems that can make a difference.