VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Jnana Sangama, Belgavi, Karnataka – 590 014

Project Report
on

“AUTOMATED RUBBER TAPPING MACHINE”

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of degree of

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING
IN
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
SUBMITTED BY
SAGAR K 1NH14ME109
SREESH S KRISHNA 1NH14ME123
SUSHREETH PUTHRAN 1NH14ME128
SYED ANIES 1NH14ME130

Under the guidance of

Mr. SUJEETH SWAMI
Asst. Professor,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

NEW HORIZON COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
BANGALORE-560 103
2017-18
 DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE

It is certified that the project entitled “AUTOMATED RUBBER TAPPING

MACHINE” is work carried out by Sagar K, Sreesh S Krishna,Sushreeth
Puthran,Syed Anies, a bonafide student of New Horizon College of Engineering,
Bangalore in partial fulfillment for the award of degree of Bachelor of Engineering in
Mechanical Engineering of the Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belgaum
during the year 2017-18. It is further certified that all corrections/suggestions indicated
for internal assessment has been incorporated in the report deposited in the departmental
library. The Project Report has been approved as it satisfies the academic requirements in
respect of Project Work prescribed for the said degree.

Signature of the guide Signature of the HOD Signature of the Principal

Mr. SUJEETH SWAMI Dr. M S GANESHA PRASAD Dr. MANJUNATHA
Asst. Professor Dean-Student Affairs & HOD-ME, Principal
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, NHCE
NHCE NHCE

Name(s) of the student: University Seat Number(s):

1. SAGAR K 1NH14ME109
2. SREESH S KRISHNA 1NH14ME123
3. SUSHREETH PUTHRAN 1NH14ME128
4. SYED ANIES 1NH14ME130
External Examiner(s) Signature with Date
1.
2.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The sense of contentment and elation that accompanies the successful completion
of our task would be incomplete without mentioning the names of the people who helped
in accomplishment of this project whose constant guidance, support and encouragement
resulted in its realization.
We are deeply indebted to our Project Guide, Mr. SUJEETH SWAMI, Assistant
Professor, Dept. of M.E Engineering, NHCE, Bangalore for his valuable guidance,
encouragement and supervision in completing the project and without whose support this
task would have been only a mere thought.
We sincerely thank our H.O.D, Dr. M S GANESHA PRASAD, Department of
M.E Engineering, NHCE, Bangalore for all his support and extending corporation.
We are thankful to acknowledge our profound gratitude to our Principal, Dr.
MANJUNATHA, NHCE, Bangalore, for all the infrastructure and facilities provided
during our study in this institution.
We express our sincere thanks to Teaching and Non-Teaching staff of E&C Dept.
and all our friends who helped us directly or indirectly for the successful completion of
the work
Finally, We want to express our deepest respect to our parents, lecturers, friends
and loved ones for their continued moral and material support and in helping us to finalize
the Project.

Sagar K 1NH14ME109

Sreesh S Krishna 1NH14ME123

Sushreeth Puthran 1NH14ME128

Syed Anies 1NH14ME130

 ABSTRACT

Rubber tapping is the process of extraction of latex from rubber trees. Rubber tree
tapping is considered to be a skill oriented job. During the tapping process, the taper has
to make a downward half spiral incision on the tree bark to extract the white milky liquid
called latex.
On a typical day, a rubber tapper has to tap about 500 to 800 rubber trees
manually with a tapping tool within a specified time of the day. Availability of skilled
laborers who could accomplish this mammoth task is getting scarce as days pass by. Even
though cheap unskilled labor is available, without appropriate time and training they
would end up damaging the tree.
The automated rubber tapering machine designed here would replace the manual
labor required for the tapping process. Also with a clock feature to control the timing of
the tapping process, higher yield of rubber latex could be obtained.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE NO.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I
ABSTRACT II
TABLE OF CONTENTS III
LIST OF FIGURES IV
LIST OF TABLES V

1.INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction of the project 2-4

1.2 Conventional approach 4-6

1.3 Manual rubber tapping 6

1.4 Rubber tree trunk 6

1.5 Starting the tapping 7-9

1.6 Harvesting the latex 9-10

1.7 Harvesting the latex at right time 10-11

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Advance rubber tree tapping machine 13-14

2.2 Automated rubber tapping machine 14-15

2.3 Comparison with the existing approaches 15

2.4 Semi automatic rubber tree tapping machine 16

2.5 Musculoskeletal problems and ergonomic risk assessment 16-17

in Rubber tappers:A community-based study in

southern Thailand

2.6 Autonomous navigation in rubber plantations 17

3.SYSTEM OVERVIEW

3.1 Schematic of the mechanical model 19

3.2 Block diagram description 20

 3.2.1 Arduino UNO3(atmega328) 20

3.2.2 Relay board 20

3.2.3 Vertical motor 20

3.2.4 Horizontal motor 21

3.2.5 IR sensors 21

3.2.6 Limit switch 22

3.2.7 Power supply 22

4.COMPONENTS AND METHODOLOGY

4.1 DC geared motors 23-25

4.1.1 Motor used for the horizontal movement 25

4.1.2 Motor used for the vertical movement 25-26

4.2 Lead screw 26-27

4.2.1 Square thread form 27-28

4.3 Gear 28-29

4.3.1 Spur gears 29-30

4.4 Cutting tools 30-31

4.5 Arduino Uno Rev 3 31-32

4.5.1 Technical specification 32-33

4.5.2 Power 34-35

4.5.3 Memory 35

4.5.4 Input and Output 35-37

4.6 Relay 37-38

4.7 Relay driver 37

4.7.1 Features 38

4.7.2 Pin functions 38-40

4.8 IR sensors 40-41

5.SOFTWARE DESCRIPTION

5.1 Programming using arduino 43-44

 5.1.1 Automatic reset 44-45

5.2 Mechanical design using creo pro software 45-46

6.WORKING PRINCIPLE

6.1 Working principle 48-49

6.2 Flow chart 49-50

6.3 Calculations 51-52

7.RESULT 53

8. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORK 55

REFERENCES 56
 LIST OF FIGURES

Fig.No Figure Name Page.No

1.1 Rubber plantation 3

1.2 Manual rubber tapping process 5
1.3 Collecting the rubber latex 5
1.4 Cross-section of rubber tree 7
1.5 Surface of bark 7
1.6 Spiral cut 8
1.7 Tool 8
1.8 Collecting process 9
1.9 Side view of bark 10
3.1 Schematic of mechanical model 19
3.2 Block diagram 20
4.1 Cross-sectional view of DC motor 24
4.2 Geared DC motor 60rpm 25
4.3 Geared DC motor 200pm 26
4.4 Lead screw 27
4.5 Lead screw parameters 27
4.6 Picture of a gear 28
4.7 Gear parameters 28
4.8 Power transmission 29
4.9 Cutting tool 30
4.10 Cutting tool parameters 31
4.11 Arduino Uno Rev 31
4.12 Pin mapping 35
4.13 Arduino parts 36
4.14 IR sensor 41
5.1 Arduino program 43
5.2 Frame structure 3D model 45
5.3 Motor and blade placement design 46
5.4 Final 3D CAD design 46
6.1 Block diagram of model 48
6.2 Flow chart 50
7.1 Working model 53
 LIST OF TABLES

Table.No Table Name Page.No

4.1 Lead screw specification 28

4.2 Spur gear specification 30
4.3 Technical specification of arduino 32
4.4 Pin functions of relay driver 38
4.5 Sensor specification 41
Automated Rubber Tapping Machine 2017-18

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

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 Automated Rubber Tapping Machine 2017-18

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction of the Project

Rubber is a plantation crop that is widely grown in southern India. There

exists a vast majority of rubber cultivators in Karnataka and Kerala. The rubber plant
is not a native plant of India. Dutch colonialists who also cultivated rubber in their
plantations in Indonesia introduced the rubber plant to Kerala, India; because of its
similar tropical climate. Rubber is an economic crop. The rubber plant produces
sticky, white latex that is collected and processed to produce natural rubber. Natural
rubber is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid
produced from Hevea brasiliensis or Rubber tree. A rubber plant has to grow for
about seven years before it can be harvested on a regular basis.
A rubber tree can produce latex for over 25 years from when it is first tapped.
Rubber trees have straight trunks and smooth green leaves. The tree would be
‘tapped’, that is, an incision is made into the bark of the tree. The latex from within
the tree seeps to the surface of the cut and trickles down the cut into a container, tied
to the trunk of the tree .This rubber latex is harvested from trees through a process
called “rubber tapping”. The tree bark on the inner side contains layers of vessels
called lactiferous vessels. This contains the rubber latex. A cut is to be made into
layer that contains these vessels to extract the latex. This layer of vessels is very close
to the Cambium layer of the rubber tree. During the tapping process care should be
taken as to avoid the blade in the tapering tool to go deep into the bark and damage
the cambium. If the cambium is damaged, the damaged area will form bulged uneven
surface post healing. The damaged cambium makes the tree susceptible to microbial
attacks, which in worst case could kill the tree. A downward half spiral cut is made in
the tree, approximately four feet from the ground and circling about half the tree. The
latex flows down the spiral into the collecting cup. It usually takes about two to three
hours before the sap hardens and closes the cut in the tree. The coagulating time is
greatly dependent on the temperature of the surrounding area. Every morning the
rubber tapper empties the latex collected in the collecting cup placed below the cut
from each tree. Then using the tool removes a thin layer of the bark just above the
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previous cut, through the cut the latex starts dripping into the collecting cup. A typical
rubber tree yields rubber latex for about 25 years, after which the rubber tree
will stop producing latex. The tree is then cut and used for commercial applications. A
new rubber sapling is planted to take its place.

Fig.1.1.Rubber plantation

The milk coloured latex sap collected is refined into usable rubber. The
purified form of natural rubber is chemical polyisoprene, which can also be produced
synthetically.

Natural rubber has an extensive range of applications as compared to

synthetic rubber. Natural rubber is used in insulating blankets and footwear. It is used
in treads of vehicle tires and conveyor belts because of its resistance to abrasion. The
flexibility and elasticity of rubber makes it suitable for hoses, shock absorbers, and as
mountings for heavy machinery which reduces the vibrations. Rubber is highly water
resistant. Because of its resistance against water it has a variety of applications in
rainwear, diving and underwater equipment, also as a lining to a variety of chemical
and water tanks. Rubber being a bad conductor of electricity is used in electrical
industry to use as an insulating material.
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The rubber tree grows in tropical climates and is cultivated in many countries.
Asia has continued to dominate the world supply of natural rubber, averaging more
than 90% of total world production. Close to 28 million tons of rubber were produced
in 2013, of which approximately 44% was natural. Since the bulk is synthetic, which
is derived from petroleum, the price of natural rubber is determined, to a large extent,
by the prevailing global price of crude oil. Asia was the main source of natural
rubber, accounting for about 94% of output in 2005. The three largest producers are
Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, together account for around 72% of all natural
rubber production. Other countries producing rubber are Vietnam, Liberia, India,
USA, China, Japan etc. India is one among the top ten rubber producing countries.

The rubber latex produced by the trees can be differentiated by the type of
coagulation. Apart from the latex that is collected in the collecting cup used to make
natural rubber, there are four types of field coagula, "cup lump", "tree lace",
"smallholders’ lump" and "earth scrap". Some trees continue to drip after the
collection leading to a small amount of "cup lump" that is collected at the next
tapping. The "tree lace" is the latex that coagulates on the cut which seals the cut; this
can be peeled off and collected. Tree lace and cup lump together form majority of the
dry rubber. Some amount of latex drips on the ground, it may be caused while
emptying the collection cup or during the tapping process. This coagulated mass is
known as “earth scrap". This scrap rubber is collected periodically and processed.
The resultant product is used for low quality applications.

1.2 Conventional approach

The rubber trees are tapped using a tapering tool manually by a worker in
the rubber field. This is an age-old practice which still forms the majority of the
tapering technique used. On a typical day, a labourer must go to the field early in the
morning, i.e. before the sunrise and start tapping the rubber trees one by one. This has
to be repeated until every tree in the farm is tapped. The main criterion for the
tapping depends on the following factors.

1. The skill with which the labourer taps the tree.

2. The type of blade used for the tapering process.

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A study was done to determine the efficiency of the manual labour used for the
tapping, the study conducted was to analyze the technical inefficiency of rubber
tapping in Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria Benin City, Edo State [1]. Technical
efficiency (TE) is defined as the ability to achieve a high level of output given similar
level of production input. The Nigerian rubber industry is labour intensive
particularly for maintenance and tapping. Studies have shown a significant and
negative correlation between wages and rubber production in Nigeria. The bark of the
rubber tree is the economic reserve of the farmer; hence efficient exploitation method
is crucial in the determination of financial returns of the rubber estates.

Fig.1.2.Manual rubber tapping process

Fig.

Fig.1.3.Collecting the rubber latex

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The high labour wage has forced majority of plantation owners to either abandon or
adopt a share cropping system with willing tappers. This system of management fails
to give the owner sufficient control over the tapper. This arrangement motivates
tappers to “slaughter tap” all in an effort to extract latex resulting in poor bark
regeneration and declining productivity of the trees. There has been an increasing
demand for rubber and its products but productivity seems to be inadequate to supply
the growing demand for tyres.

As the study shows there are a number of drawbacks for the conventional tapping
process.

1. Decrease in the availability of skilled labor.

2. Increase in the labor cost over the years.

3. Inefficiency and poor tapping skills of the workers would result in damage
to the tree.

1.3 Manual Rubber Tapping

Tapping means

 to make a cut in the bark of the rubber tree

 to harvest the latex.

For a good tapping, you must:

 make a good cut;

 harvest the latex well;
 harvest the latex at the right time.

1.4 The Trunk Of The Rubber Tree

If you cut through a trunk, you see several layers.

 On the outside is the bark, which is about 6 millimeters thick.

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 In the centre is the wood,

 Between the wood and the bark there is a layer which cannot be seen
with the naked eye, because it is very thin. This is the cambium layer.

Fig.1.4.cross-section of a rubber tree

 The cambium makes the tree grow, by producing wood and bark. So
you must not damage it if you want the tree to grow normally. If you
look at rubber tree bark with a microscope, you will see several layers
One of these, the deepest, contains little channels called lactiferous
vessels because they contain latex. This layer is next to the cambium.

Fig.1.5 Surface of bark

 The lactiferous vessels are little tubes that produce latex.

 In tapping, you cut these little tubes containing latex. But you must take
care not to cut the cambium.

1.5 STARTING THE TAPPING

When a tree is 50 centimetres in circumference at a height, of 1 metre from the

ground, that is, 5 years after it has been put in the plantation, you can begin to tap the
tree.

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To start the tapping, take a metal ribbon attached to a wooden lath 1.10 metres long.
This metal ribbon is at an angle of 30 degrees to the horizontal.

Roll the metal ribbon round the tree. With an awl (an iron point), make a cut along
the ribbon The cut ends when you have gone right round the tree The beginning of the
cut and the end of the cut are on the same vertical line.

Fig.1.6 Spiral cut

With the awl make a vertical channel from the lower edge of the cut.

The cut and the channel must be deepened. This is done with a gouge, a tool that is
used by pushing it so as to remove bark.

Fig.1.7 Tool

Push the gouge several times along the cut and the channel, taking away a very little
bark at a time. You do this so as to cut the bark as close as possible to the cambium,
but without damaging it.

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As the bark is about 6 millimetres thick, the cut must be 4.5 millimetres deep .The
vertical channel is 25 centimetres long. At the lower end of this channel, put a gutter.
Below that, put a cup called a latex cup. Tie it to the tree.

The latex flows along the cut, into the channel, and at last, through the gutter ,it drops
into the cup.

Fig.1.8 Collecting process

The latex that flows when you first make the cut is not good for harvesting, so for
several days you do not harvest any latex, but all the same you must come and cut the
bark.

1.6 HARVESTING THE LATEX

 Early in the morning, go to the plantation to reopen the cut.

 Begin by taking away the latex that has coagulated on the cut and put it in a
basket.
 Take away also any latex that has flowered over the bark.
 Then, with the gouge, take out a little piece of bark, 1.5 millimetres thick
,without touching the cambium
 Make the cut as far as 1.5 millimetres from the cambium

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 Automated Rubber Tapping Machine 2017-18

Fig.1.9 Side view of bark

 The latex flows along the cut, then down the channel, and through the gutter, it
drops into the latex cup.
 Then, 4 hours later, come again and collect what is in the cup. Two days
afterwards, clean out tea cup.
 One man can tap 440 trees a day. The man who does the tapping is called the
tapper.
 If you make the cut badly, and if you touch the cambium, the bark closes up
badly. It splits and turns brown.
 Then the tapping must be stopped. There is a product for treating this
browning of the bark.

1.7 Harvesting Latex At The Right Time

The trees must be tapped very early in the morning, at daybreak, so as to

harvest as much latex as possible. If you make the cuts late in the day, you harvest
less latex, one third less. But you must not tap the trees every day.

Each tree should be tapped on a fixed day .thus,

 one tree is tapped on Monday and Thursday;

 another, on Tuesday and Friday;
 a third on Wednesday and Saturday.
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Each tapper can tap 440 trees. So he will have 3 groups of 440 trees, since he
will tap each tree only twice a week. He will have

 one group tapped on Monday and Thursday;

 one group tapped on Tuesday and Friday;
 one group tapped on Wednesday and Saturday.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Thursday Friday Saturday

He will stop tapping for two months, in the dry season, that is, at the time when the
tree loses its leaves and makes new leaves. When you have worked over the whole
length of the tree, taking away the bark, that is, after 7 years, you can begin again,
starting at 1.5 metres from the ground. You can do this three times. That means you
can harvest latex for 28 years. After that, it is best to make a new plantation.

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CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW

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CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1. Advanced Rubber Tree Tapping Machine

ABSTRACT-1
In India there is a demand for rubber as it is used for manufacturing products like
Tyres , Tubes etc. The rubber is harvested from latex of rubber trees by undergoing
may process. It is then vulcanized with sulphur to obtain vulcanized rubber which is
used in tyre manufacturing industry. By a process called “rubber tapping” we obtain
rubber latex from tree. Here a helical cut is made in the tree, approximately four feet
from the ground and circling about half the tree. Every day workers scrapes away the
caked latex and a thin layer of bark in the early morning. The latex flows down the
spiral into a cup for 2 hours before the sap hardens and closes the cut in the tree.
Currently the main problem facing the rubber industry is depreciation of the
price of rubber and also lack of skilled workers. For tapping rubber trees care must be
taken to avoid damaging the tree during tapping. Workers are trained for six months
before learning the proper technique and improper tapping can kill many valuable
trees. The process of tapping rubber is also a physically taxing job. To Improving this
process would save cost of labour required for tapping.
The objective of this paper is to obtain, inducing of mechanization of the farm is very
crucial for the better agricultural output. Since Green revolution India is trying to
modernize its agricultural outfits but had failed many times .As engineer it our
primary duty to serve our country and help it in its upliftment.
To improve this process we developed a new rubber tapping tool. A more
economic design reduces worker fatigue. Through all of this the design is kept simple
to keep reliability high and cost low. In this project, mechanization of rubber tapping
is done as it is rigorous and very difficult job. Our project can be used for extracting
rubber latex from large number of trees with great ease. It would help in reduction of
labor and would help in self-reliability of plantation owners for tapping. It is a
machine which as a slider attached with a rotating tool to cut the cambium layer of
rubber tree. The slider is guided around the tree with help of the guide way. It would
help labour to get away from back pain and other physical problems. It consists of a
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cordless drilling machine with a modified tool which can be simply operated with
hand and with aid of a guide ways.

2.2. Automated Rubber Tapering Machine

ABSTRACT-2
Rubber tapping is the process of extraction of latex from rubber trees. Each night the
rubber tapper must remove a thin layer of bark along a downward half spiral on the
tree trunk. The spiral allows the latex to run down to a collecting cup. The work is
done at night or in the early morning before the day’s temperature raises, so the latex
will drip longer before coagulating and sealing the cut.
Natural rubber is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid
produced from some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision is made
into the bark of the tree. A sticky, milk colored latex sap is collected. This is refined
into usable rubber. The purified form of natural rubber is chemical polyisoprene,
which can also be produced synthetically. Natural rubber is used extensively in many
applications and products, as is synthetic rubber. It is normally very stretchy and
flexible and extremely waterproof. It is used for making innumerable articles ranging
from footwear, sports goods, cushions, insulating material for cables, and pencil
erasers to tiers and tubes. Thus, indirectly, rubber helps in promoting the system of
modern transport and communication. The rubber tree grows in tropical climates and
is cultivated in many countries. Asia has continued to dominate the world supply of
natural rubber, averaging more than 90% of total world production. Thailand,
Indonesia, and Malaysia are the top three Rubber producing countries in the world
[3]. Other countries producing rubber are Vietnam,
Liberia, India, USA, China, Japan etc. India is one among the top ten rubber
producing countries. A variety of natural rubber based engineering products are
developed for use in these fields. Favorable temperature for growing rubber trees
should be around 27°C and should never fall below 22°C. The main crop from
rubber plantation is latex, which is harvested by the tapping process. Two to three
hours after tapping, the latex collected in the cup is transferred to a clean bucket.
About 70-80 percent of the crop from a rubber plantation is in the form of latex. The

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latex which gets solidified in the tapping panel and the collection cups also form part
of the crop and are collected by the tapper in a basket just prior to tapping.
The automated rubber tapering machine designed here would replace the manual
labor required for the tapping process. Also, the process of tapping could be started as
early in the morning as desired.

2.3 Comparison With The Existing Approaches

ABSTRACT-3

To replace the manual labor, a number of semi-automatic and automatic tapping

machines have been designed in the past. As skilled labor is hard to find, referring [2]
a study was undertaken to design a semi-automatic rubber tapping machine where in a
cheap unskilled labour could tap a tree with precision. This approach would require
the unskilled labor to understand the operation of the semi-automatic rubber tapping
machine. Learning this would have a greater learning curve than learning to tap with a
conventional tapping blade. This would take us back to the original problem that we
had with the conventional tappers.
In [3] an attempt to make an automatic tapping machine was undertaken. The machine
designed had a RTC, which was designed to make the tapping process automatic. The
incision that it made was limited to only one, i.e. each morning a worker has to
manually place the tapping blade one step down to make the next incision. This would
not make the machine completely automatic but dependent on human intervention.

Referring to the study in [4], which discussed about the autonomous navigation in
rubber farms, a system was proposed where in an autonomous robot would do all the
work in the rubber farm. The key point here is to replace the labourers with intelligent
machines. It proposes the development of a machine which can autonomously
navigate through rubber plantations with obstacle detection capabilities. Sub tasks like
tapping and latex collection can be attached to this and can be utilized to improve the
efficiency and reduce the cost of production of natural rubber. This approach though a
novel one is still conceptual, which may be achievable in the near future. The
proposed system with a wide variety of sensors and robotics would increase the cost
of the actual product which in the current economy would burden the farmer.
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2.4 Semi automatic rubber tree tapping machine

ABSTRACT-4
Hevea brasiliensis/Rubber tree is considered to be the most predominant plantation
crop in Kerala which was found to be the major source of income for the 11.5 lakh
planters within Kerala. Due to the availability of natural rubber from foreign
countries at cheaper price, the current market price as well as the demand of Indian
rubber is decreasing. Unfortunately in addition to low income from rubber, non
availability of skilled laborers and the increased labor charges prevent the planters
from continuing tapping in their plantations. Even though laborers are available for
low cost, they cannot be utilized for this job since it requires good tapping skills and
prior experience. This paper discusses a semi automatic rubber tapping machine at an
affordable price which can be used by an unskilled labor. This proposed machine is a
battery powered tool with a specially designed cutting blade and guide mechanism,
supported by a sensory system which assists the operator to perform tapping of
required quality and standards on all trees in a plantation. For validating the concept a
prototype is being developed and tested.

2.5 Musculoskeletal problems and ergonomic risk assessment in

rubber tappers: A community-based study in southern Thailand
ABSTRACT-5

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and

ergonomic risk levels, and identify ergonomic factors related to low back pain in
rubber tappers. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Chumporn Province,
Southern Thailand. Subjects with a history of major trauma or certain pre-existing
back disorders were excluded. A questionnaire-based interview, pain self-report form,
direct observation of the workers, and a video-based analysis of working postures
using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method were used. Over half
(52.9%) of the participants had low back pain during the previous 3 months, while the
prevalence of pain in the legs, upper arms, neck, wrists, and lower arms were 14.8%,
8.9%, 3.0%, 2.3%, and 2.1%, respectively. The average final RULA grand score of
5.25 corresponded to an action level of 3, which indicated the need for prompt
medical investigation and work habit changes. From logistic regression analysis, the
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tapping levels and tapping postures including high frequencies of twisting, bending,
and extension of trunk were significantly associated with low back pain. Other
independent risk factors included a high frequency of weight lifting, high perceived
fatigue from work, and lower levels of social support, education and income. Rubber
tapping is regarded as an occupational risk for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). An
abnormal ergonomic factor in rubber tapping increases the risk of low back pain
among rubber tappers. Preventive measures should be developed to minimize this
problem in the future.

2.6 Autonomous Navigation in Rubber Plantations

ABSTRACT-6

Agriculture is the main revenue resource of many states of India. But due to new
opportunities and higher pays the strength of the labour community is getting greatly
reduced. Since the farming community is unable to sustain continuation of farming,
the corporate world in now becoming the caretaker of the agricultural industry. This
has lead to a new era of agriculture. Today’s agriculture needs to find new ways to
improve efficiency. The key point here is to replace the labourers with intelligent
machines. One way to achieve this goal is to utilize available robotics and artificial
intelligence technologies in the form of smarter intelligent machines to reduce energy
inputs in more effective ways. These machines should be able to work like humans in
farms and produce results equal to or higher than the existing ones. The advent of
autonomous system architecture gives us the opportunity to develop a complete new
range of agricultural equipment based on smart machines. By using these machines
we can increase the productivity, improve safety, and reduce costs for many
agricultural purposes. The author proposes the development of a machine which can
autonomously navigate through rubber plantations with obstacle detection
capabilities.

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CHAPTER 3
SYSTEM OVERVIEW

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CHAPTER 3

SYSTEM OVERVIEW

3.1 Schematic of the Mechanical Model

Fig 3.1 Schematic of the Mechanical Model

The schematic model consists of

 Motor setup for Vertical and horizontal movement motors.

 Spur gears
 Threaded Lead Screw
 Ball screw
 Tapping blade
 Blade adjustment rod
 Supporting rods

 The entire set up of the automated rubber tapering machine is mounted on the
rubber tree with the help of supporting rods and is fastened by a belt. There are 2 spur
gears used with a larger diameter that encloses the tree. This acts as a path for the
horizontal movement of the motor blade. The vertical movement uses a threaded lead
screw with guide ways which is used for the vertical movement of the blade. There is
also a blade adjustment rod that is used to adjust the point of contact of the blade.

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3.2 Block Diagram Description

Fig 3.2 Block Diagram of Automated Rubber Tapering Machine

3.2.1 Arduino UNO R3 (Atmega328)

Arduino Uno R3 is a microcontroller board based on ATmega328. It has 14 digital

input/output pins, 6 analog inputs, a 16Mhz ceramic resonator, a USB connection, a
power jack, and a reset button. It contains everything needed to support the
microcontroller. The Arduino is programmed for the movement of the vertical and
horizontal motors, which in turn controls the movement of the tapering blade.

3.2.2 Relay Board

The relay board is used here to drive the 2 DC motors. Four relays are used in a
bridge configuration to control the speed and the direction of the 2 DC motors. The
relay is controlled with 5V signal and needs a supply of 12V.

3.2.3 Vertical Motor

The vertical motor has a 200rpm drive and a base motor drive of 10000rpm.This is
used for the vertical motion of the blade.

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3.2.4 Horizontal Motor

The horizontal movement is controlled by a geared DC motor which has a
60rpm drive and a base motor drive of 6000rpm. This is used for the horizontal
motion of the blade.

3.2.5 IR Sensors
An infrared sensor is an electronic instrument which is used to sense certain
characteristics of its surroundings by either emitting and/or detecting infrared
radiation. Infrared sensors are also capable of measuring the heat being emitted by an
object and detecting motion.

3.2.6 Limit Switch

The limit switch marks the starting and the ending point for the blade movement.

3.2.7 Power Supply

The power supply used here is 12V DC. It is used for the proper functioning of
Arduino UNO R3 (Atmega328) and Relay Board.

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CHAPTER 4
COMPONENTS AND METHODOLOGY

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CHAPTER 4
HARDWARE DESCRIPTION
This chapter deals with all the hardware components used in this project. The
hardware used are listed below along with their specifications and their features.

4.1 DC Geared Motors

A DC motor comes under a class of rotary electrical machines that converts direct
current electrical energy into mechanical energy. The most common types rely on the
forces produced by magnetic fields. Nearly all types of DC motors have some internal
mechanism, either electromechanical or electronic, to periodically change the
direction of current flow in part of the motor.

A DC Motor runs on direct current (DC) electricity. In this the torque is produced by
the principle of Lorentz force, which states that any current carrying conductor placed
within an external magnetic field experiences a torque or force known as Lorentz
force. DC motors consists of rotor-mounted windings (armature) and stationary
windings (field poles). In all DC motors, except permanent magnet motors, Current
must be conducted to the armature windings by passing current through carbon
brushes that slide over a set of copper surfaces called commutator , which is mounted
on the rotor. The commutator bars are soldered to the armature coils.

The commutator combination makes a sliding switch that energizes particular

portions of the armature, based on the position of the rotor. This process creates north
and south magnetic poles on the rotor that are attracted to or repelled by north and
south poles on the stator, which are formed by passing direct current through the field
windings. It is this magnetic attraction and repulsion that causes the rotor to rotate.

Geared DC motors can be defined as an extension of DC motors. A geared DC Motor

has a gear assembly attached to the motor. The speed of motor is counted in terms of
rotations of the shaft per minute and is termed as RPM .The gear assembly helps in
increasing the torque and reducing the speed. Using the correct combination of gears
in a gear motor, its speed can be reduced to any desirable amount. This concept
where gears reduce the speed of the vehicle but increase its torque is known as gear

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reduction. This Insight will explore all the minor and major details that make the gear
head and hence the working of geared DC motor.

The DC motor works over a fair range of voltage. The higher the input voltage more
is the RPM (rotations per minute) of the motor. The working of the gears can be
explained by the principle of conservation of angular momentum. The gear having
smaller radius will cover more RPM than the one with larger radius. However, the
larger gear will give more torque to the smaller gear than vice versa. The comparison
of angular velocity between input gear (the one that transfers energy) to output gear
gives the gear ratio. When multiple gears are connected together, conservation of
energy is also followed. The direction in which the other gear rotates is always the
opposite of the gear adjacent to it.

In any DC motor, RPM and torque are inversely proportional. Hence the gear having
more torque will provide a lesser RPM and converse. In a geared DC motor, the
concept of pulse width modulation is applied. The gear connecting the motor and the
gear head is quite small, hence it transfers more speed to the larger teeth part of the
gear head and makes it rotate. The larger part of the gear further turns the smaller
duplex part. The small duplex part receives the torque but not the speed from its
predecessor which it transfers to larger part of other gear and so on. The third gear’s
duplex part has more teeth than others and hence it transfers more torque to the gear
that is connected to the shaft.

Fig.4.1 Cross-sectional view of a DC motor

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There are 2 DC geared motors used for horizontal and vertical movement of the
tapering blade.

4.1.1 Motor used for the horizontal movement

For the horizontal movement of the tapering blade a Geared DC motor of 60 rpm is
used with a 6000-rpm base motor drive. This is gear box assembled High torque
heavy duty DC Gear Motor for bigger robots / motion systems. Drive shaft is
supported from with metal bushes, it has sturdy design with gear box made to hold
stall torque produced.

Fig 4.2 Geared DC motor with 60rpm at 12V.

The specifications of the motor are

 60 RPM 12V DC Motor with Gear Box

 6000 RPM base motor drive
 Heavy Duty Metal Gears
 Stall Torque: 60 Kg/cm at stall current 4.8A
 Shaft diameter: 8mm
 Shaft length: 30mm
 Gear: metal Spur, Squared gear box assembly
 Weight: 450gm
4.1.2 Motor used for vertical movement

For the vertical movement of the tapering blade a geared DC motor of 200 RPM is
used with a base motor drive of 10000 RPM. High performance DC geared motor
with metal gear box used for high torque application and other automation purposes.
The motor comes with 6mm off-centred shaft (side shaft) and M3 holes for mounting.
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It is different from the regular motors for its very high reliability (mainly of its gears)
and the shaft length of 29mm (comes with a hole on the shaft)

Fig 4.3 Geared DC motor with 200rpm at 12V

The specifications of the motor are as below

 RPM: 200 rpm at 12V


 Base motor drive of 10000 RPM

 Voltage: 4V to 12V

 Stall Torque: 10kg/cm

 Gear: Metal (spur)

 Shaft size: 6mm diameter

 Shaft length: 29mm (comes with a hole on the shaft for mounting
wheels)

 Motor weight: 180gms

4.2 Lead Screw
A lead screw (or lead screw), also known as a power screw or translation screw, is a
screw used as a linkage in a machine, to translate turning motion into linear motion.
Because of the large area of sliding contact between their male and female members,
screw threads have larger frictional energy losses compared to other linkages.

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Fig.4.4 Lead screw

They are not typically used to carry high power, but more for intermittent use in low
power actuator and positioner mechanisms. Common applications are linear
actuators, machine slides (such as in machine tools), vises, presses, and jacks.

Lead screws are manufactured in the same way as other thread forms (they
may be rolled, cut, or ground). A lead screw is sometimes used with a split nut also
called half nut which allows the nut to be disengaged from the threads and moved
axially, independently of the screw's rotation, when needed (such as in single-point
threading on a manual lathe).

4.2.1 Square Thread Form

The square thread form is a common screw thread form, used in high load
applications such as lead screws and jackscrews. It gets its name from the square
cross-section of the thread. It is the lowest friction and most efficient thread form, but
it is difficult to fabricate.

Fig.4.5 Lead screw parameters

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Table 4.1 lead screw specification

PITCH 10mm

MAJOR DIAMETER 14mm

MINOR DIAMETER 12mm

DEPTH OF THREAD 2mm

4.3 Gear

Fig 4.6 Spur Gear

A gear or cogwheel is a rotating machine part having cut teeth, or cogs, which mesh
with another toothed part to transmit torque. Geared devices can change the speed,
torque, and direction of a power source. Gears almost always produce a change in
torque, creating a mechanical advantage, through their gear ratio, and thus may be
considered a simple machine. The teeth on the two meshing gears all have the same
shape. Two or more meshing gears, working in a sequence, are called a gear train or a
transmission. A gear can mesh with a linear toothed part, called a rack, thereby
producing translation instead of rotation.

The gears in a transmission are analogous to the wheels in a crossed,belt pulley

system. An advantage of gears is that the teeth of a gear prevent slippage.

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When two gears mesh, if one gear is bigger than the other, a mechanical advantage is
produced, with the rotational speeds, and the torques, of the two gears differing in
proportion to their diameters.

In transmissions with multiple gear ratios—such as bicycles, motorcycles, and cars—

the term "gear" as in "first gear" refers to a gear ratio rather than an actual physical
gear. The term describes similar devices, even when the gear ratio is continuous
rather than discrete, or when the device does not actually contain gears, as in a
continuously variable transmission.

Fig.4.7.Gear parameters Fig.4.8 Power transmission

4.3.1 Spur gears

Spur gears or straight-cut gears are the simplest type of gear. They consist of a
cylinder or disk with teeth projecting radially. Though the teeth are not straight-sided
(but usually of special form to achieve a constant drive ratio, mainly involute but less
commonly cycloid), the edge of each tooth is straight and aligned parallel to the axis
of rotation. These gears mesh together correctly only if fitted to parallel shafts. No
axial thrust is created by the tooth loads. Spur gears are excellent at moderate speeds
but tend to be noisy at high speeds.

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Table 4.2 spur gear specification

Pitch 10mm

Width 14mm

Inside diameter 390mm

Outside diameter 400mm

Pitch diameter 395mm

No. of teeth 124

4.4 Cutting Tool

Fig 4.9 cutting tool

Use to cut rubber trees to get latex from the tree .No need to grind High quality
Rubber tapping tool made of made of quality steel.

Features:

knife blade:420J2s/s

Comparing with the rubber tree knife and traditional rubber tree knife , the biggest
advantage is that do not need to grind the blade after used everyday but only changed

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the blade .Each blade's using life is 5-8 days and generally could be match 10 pieces
or 30 pieces.

Fig.4.10 Cutting tool parameters

4.5 Arduino Uno Rev 3

Fig 4.11 Arduino Uno Rev

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Arduino Uno is a microcontroller board based on the ATmega328P. It has 14 digital

input/output pins (of which 6 can be used as PWM outputs), 6 analog inputs, a 16
MHz quartz crystal, a USB connection, a power jack, an ICSP header and a reset
button. It contains everything needed to support the microcontroller; simply connect
it to a computer with a USB cable or power it with an AC-to-DC adapter or battery to
get started .

Arduino can be used to develop stand-alone interactive objects or can be connected to

software on your computer (e.g. Flash, Processing, MaxMSP). Arduino is an open-
source physical computing platform based on a simple i/o board and a development
environment that implements the Processing/Wiring language.

"Uno" means one in Italian and was chosen to mark the release of Arduino Software
(IDE) 1.0. The Uno board and version 1.0 of Arduino Software (IDE) were the
reference versions of Arduino, now evolved to newer releases. The Uno board is the
first in a series of USB Arduino boards, and the reference model for the Arduino
platform

4.5.1 Technical Specifications

Table 4.3 Technical specifications of Arduino Uno Rev 3.

Microcontroller ATmega328P

Operating Voltage 5V

Input Voltage (recommended) 7-12V

Input Voltage (limit) 6-20V

Digital I/O Pins 4 (of which 6 provide PWM output)

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PWM Digital I/O Pins 6

Analog Input Pins 6

DC Current per I/O Pin 20 mA

DC Current for 3.3V Pin 50 mA

32 KB (ATmega328P)

Flash Memory

of which 0.5 KB used by bootloader

SRAM 2 KB (ATmega328P)

EEPROM 1 KB (ATmega328P)

Clock Speed 16 MHz

LED_BUILTIN 13

Length 68.6 mm

Width 53.4 mm

Weight 25 g

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4.5.2 Power
The Arduino Uno board can be powered via the USB connection or with an external
power supply. The power source is selected automatically. External (non-USB)
power can come either from an AC-to-DC adapter (wall-wart) or battery. The adapter
can be connected by plugging a 2.1mm center-positive plug into the board's
powerjack . Leads from a battery can be inserted in the GND and Vin pin headers of
the POWER connector.

The board can operate on an external supply from 6 to 20 volts. If supplied with less
than 7V, however, the 5V pin may supply less than five volts and the board may
become unstable. If using more than 12V, the voltage regulator may overheat and
damage the board. The recommended range is 7 to 12 volts. The power pins are as
follows:

 Vin: The input voltage to the Arduino board when it's using an external power
source (as opposed to 5 volts from the USB connection or other regulated
power source). You can supply voltage through this pin, or, if supplying
voltage via the power jack, access it through this pin.
 5V: This pin outputs a regulated 5V from the regulator on the board. The
board can be supplied with power either from the DC power jack (7 - 12V),
the USB connector (5V), or the VIN pin of the board (7-12V). Supplying
voltage via the 5V or 3.3V pins bypasses the regulator, and can damage your
board. We don't advise it.
 3V3: A 3.3 volt supply generated by the on-board regulator. Maximum
current draw is 50 mA.
 GND: Ground pins.
 IOREF: This pin on the Arduino board provides the voltage reference with
which the microcontroller operates. A properly configured shield can read the
IOREF pin voltage and select the appropriate power source or enable voltage
translators on the outputs to work with the 5V or 3.3V.

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4.5.3 Memory
The ATmega328 has 32 KB (with 0.5 KB occupied by the bootloader). It also has 2
KB of SRAM and 1 KB of EEPROM (which can be read and written with the
EEPROM library).

4.5.4 Input and Output

The mapping between Arduino pins and ATmega328P ports are shown in the figure.
The mapping for the Atmega8, 168, and 328 is identical.

Fig 4.12 Pin mapping of Atmega328 with Arduino Uno R3

Each of the 14 digital pins on the Uno can be used as an input or output, using pin
Mode(), digital Write(), and digital Read() functions. They operate at 5 volts. Each
pin can provide or receive 20 mA as recommended operating condition and has an
internal pull-up resistor (disconnected by default) of 20-50k ohm. A maximum of
40mA is the value that must not be exceeded on any I/O pin to avoid permanent
damage to the microcontroller.

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Fig 4.13 Arduino Uno Rev 3 parts labeled

In addition, some pins have specialized functions:

 Serial: 0 (RX) and 1 (TX). Used to receive (RX) and transmit (TX) TTL serial
data. These pins are connected to the corresponding pins of the ATmega8U2
USB-to-TTL Serial chip.
 External Interrupts: 2 and 3. These pins can be configured to trigger an
interrupt on a low value, a rising or falling edge, or a change in value. See the
attach Interrupt () function for details.
 PWM: 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, and 11. Provide 8-bit PWM output with the analog Write
() function.
 SPI: 10 (SS), 11 (MOSI), 12 (MISO), 13 (SCK). These pins support SPI
communication using the SPI library.
 LED: 13. There is a built-in LED driven by digital pin 13. When the pin is
HIGH value, the LED is on, when the pin is LOW, it's off.
 TWI: A4 or SDA pin and A5 or SCL pin. Support TWI communication using
the Wire library.
The Uno has 6 analog inputs, labelled A0 through A5, each of which
provide 10 bits of resolution (i.e. 1024 different values). By default they
measure from ground to 5 volts, though is it possible to change the upper
end of their range using the AREF pin and the analog Reference ()
function.

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There are a couple of other pins on the board:

 AREF. Reference voltage for the analog inputs. Used with analog Reference
().
 Reset. Bring this line LOW to reset the microcontroller. Typically used to add
a reset button to shields which block the one on the board.

4.6 Relay
A relay is an electrically operated switch. Many relays use an electromagnet to
mechanically operate a switch, but other operating principles are also used, such as
solid-state relays. Relays are used where it is necessary to control a circuit by a
separate low-power signal, or where several circuits must be controlled by one signal.
The first relays were used in long distance telegraph circuits as amplifiers: they
repeated the signal coming in from one circuit and re-transmitted it on another circuit.
Relays were used extensively in telephone exchanges and early computers to perform
logical operations.

A type of relay that can handle the high power required to directly control an electric
motor or other loads is called a contactor. Solid-state relays control power circuits
with no moving parts, instead using a semiconductor device to perform switching.
Relays with calibrated operating characteristics and sometimes multiple operating
coils are used to protect electrical circuits from overload or faults; in modern electric
power systems these functions are performed by digital instruments still called
"protective relays".

Magnetic latching relays require one pulse of coil power to move their contacts in one
direction, and another, redirected pulse to move them back. Repeated pulses from the
same input have no effect. Magnetic latching relays are useful in applications where
interrupted power should not be able to transition the contacts.

Magnetic latching relays can have either single or dual coils. On a single coil device,
the relay will operate in one direction when power is applied with one polarity, and
will reset when the polarity is reversed. On a dual coil device, when polarized voltage
is applied to the reset coil the contacts will transition. AC controlled magnetic latch

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relays have single coils that employ steering diodes to differentiate between operate
and reset commands

4.7 Relay Driver (ULN2803APG)

The ULN2803APG / AFWG Series are high−voltage, high−current darlington drivers
comprised of eight NPN darlington pairs. All units feature integral clamp diodes for
switching inductive loads. Applications include relay, hammer, lamp and display
(LED) drivers.

4.7.1 Features
 Output current (single output)500 mA (max)

 High sustaining voltage output 50 V (min)

 Output clamp diodes

 Inputs compatible with various types of logic.

 Package Type−APG : DIP−18pin

 Package Type−AFWG : SOL−18pin

4.7.2 PIN Functions

Table 4.4 Pin Functions of Relay Driver (ULN2803APG) [7].

PIN Type Description

NAME NO.

1B 1

2B 2

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3B 3

Channel 1 through 8 Darlington base

4B 4 I

input.

5B 5

6B 6

7B 7

8B 8

1C 18

Channel 1 through 8 Darlington

2C 17 O collector output Channel 1 through 8

Darlington base input.

3C 16

4C 15

5C 14

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6C 13

7C 12

8C 11

Common emitter shared by all

GND 9 _

channels (typically tied to ground)

Common cathode node for flyback

COM 10 I/O

diodes (required for inductive loads)

4.8 IR SENSORS (TA0046 IR Obstacle Avoidance Sensor)

Infrared obstacle avoidance sensor is designed for the design of a wheeled robot
obstacle avoidance sensor distance adjustable. This ambient light sensor Adaptable,
high precision, having a pair of infrared transmitter and receiver, transmitter tubes
emit a certain frequency of infrared, When detecting the direction of an obstacle
(reflector), the infrared receiver tube receiver is reflected back, when the indicator is
lit, Through the circuit, the signal output interface output digital signal that can be
detected by means of potentiometer knob to adjust the distance, the effective distance
From 2 ~ 40cm, working voltage of 3.3V-5V, operating voltage range as broad,
relatively large fluctuations in the power supply voltage of the situation Stable
condition and still work for a variety of microcontrollers, Arduino controller, BS2
controller, attached to the robot that can sense changes in their surroundings.

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Fig.4.14 IR sensor

Table 4.5 Sensor Specification

Working voltage DC 3.3V-5V
Working current ≥ 20mA
Operating temperature -10 ℃ - +50 ℃
detection distance 2-40cm
IO Interface 4-wire interfaces (- / + / S / EN)
Output signal TTL level (low level there is an obstacle, no
obstacle high)
Adjustment adjust multi-turn resistance
Effective angle 35 °
Size 28mm × 23mm
Weight 9g

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CHAPTER 5
SOFTWARE DESCRIPTION

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CHAPTER 5
SOFTWARE DESCRIPTION
5.1 Programming Using Arduino IDE

The open-source Arduino Software (1DE) makes it easy to write code and upload it
to the board. It runs on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux. The environment is written in
java and based on processing and other open-source software.

This IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is part of Arduino Create, an online

platform that enables makers to write code, access tutorials, configure boards, and
share projects. Designed to provide users with a continuous workflow.

Fig 5.1 Program written on Arduino IDE.

The Arduino Uno can be programmed with the Arduino software.Select "Arduino
Uno from the Tools > Board menu (according to the microcontroller on board).

The ATmega328 on the Arduino Uno comes pre-burned with a bootloader that allows
us to upload new code to it without the use of an external hardware programmer. It
communicates using the original STK500 protocol. We can also bypass the
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bootloader and program the microcontroller through the ICSP (In-Circuit Serial
Programming) header. The ATmega16U2 (or 8U2 in the rev1 and rev2 boards)
firmware source code is available.

The ATmega16U2/8U2 is loaded with a DFU bootloader, which can be activated

by:

 On Rev1 boards: connecting the solder jumper on the back of the board
(near the map of Italy) and then resetting the 8U2.
 On Rev2 or later boards: there is a resistor that pulling the 8U2/16U2
HWB line to ground, making it easier to put into DFU mode.

5.1.1 Automatic (Software) Reset

Rather than requiring a physical press of the reset button before an upload, the
Arduino Uno board is designed in a way that allows it to be reset by software running
on a connected computer. One of the hardware flow control lines (DTR) of the
ATmega8U2/16U2 is connected to the reset line of the ATmega328 via a 100
nanofarad capacitor. When this line is asserted (taken low), the reset line drops long
enough to reset the chip. The Arduino Software (IDE) uses this capability to allow
you to upload code by simply pressing the upload button in the interface toolbar. This
means that the boot loader can have a shorter timeout, as the lowering of DTR can be
well-coordinated with the start of the upload.

 This setup has other implications. When the Uno is connected to either a
computer running Mac OS X or Linux, it resets each time a connection is
made to it from software (via USB). For the following half-second or so, the
boot loader is running on the Uno. While it is programmed to ignore
malformed data (i.e. anything besides an upload of new code), it will
intercept the first few bytes of data sent to the board after a connection is
opened. If a sketch running on the board receives one-time configuration or
other data when it first starts, make sure that the software with which it
communicates waits a second after opening the connection and before
sending this data.
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 The Uno board contains a trace that can be cut to disable the auto-reset.
The pads on either side of the trace can be soldered together to re-enable it.
It's labelled "RESET-EN". You may also be able to disable the auto-reset by
connecting a 110-ohm resistor from 5V to the reset line.

5.2 Mechanical Design using CREO PRO Software

PTC Creo, formerly known as Pro/ENGINEER is a parametric, integrated 3D

CAD/CAM/CAE solution created by Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC). It
was the first to market with parametric, feature-based, associative solid modeling
software. Creo is a family or suite of design software supporting product design for
discrete manufacturers and is developed by PTC. The suite consists of apps, each
delivering a distinct set of capabilities for a user role within product development.
Creo runs on Microsoft Windows and provides apps for 3D CAD parametric feature
solid modeling, 3D direct modeling, 2D orthographic views, Finite Element Analysis
and simulation, schematic design, technical illustrations, and viewing and
visualization. It is a complete suite of concept design, 2D, 3D, simulation & analysis
engineering software. What is unique about Creo is that it has taken into account how
product design and development is done in modern days, using diverse tools, with the
participation of people of a variety of skills, from different geographical locations.

Fig 5.2: The frame structure along with gears

Creo Elements/Pro offers a range of tools to enable the generation of a complete

digital representation of the product being designed. In addition to the general
geometry tools there is also the ability to generate geometry of other integrated
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design disciplines such as industrial and standard pipe work and complete wiring
definitions.

Fig 5.3: The motor and blade placement design.

A 3D model is first developed using Creo Pro E software. At the first stage, all the
components are individually designed according to their specifications. In the figure
5.3 the external support frame is designed first, then the motor and the blade
placement apparatus. These are assembled and constructed into a 3D model as
designed. The completed 3D model is as shown in the figure 5.4.

Fig 5.4:Final 3D CAD design of Automated Rubber Tapering Machine

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CHAPTER 6
WORKING PRINCIPLE

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CHAPTER 6
WORKING PRINCIPLE

Fig 6.1: Block Diagram of Automated Rubber Tapering Machine

The main goal of the Automated Rubber Tapering machine is to make an incision on
the rubber tree every alternate day. For this purpose, we have used a Real-Time
Clock. Using which when an alarm is set the tapering process is started automatically.
The connections are shown in the figure 6.1.

The Arduino Uno R3 is the microcontroller used in this device. It is the heart of the
device. The Arduino is interfaced with the RTC, the Relays and the 2 geared DC
motors using the relay driver IC. It is programmed using the Arduino IDE. The
functions specified by the programs include generation PWM signals for the motor
speed control and also to match the analog time signals from the RTC to switch on the
device at the set time.

The SCL and SDA Pins of the RTC are connected to the Analog Pins A5 & A4 of the
Arduino. The RTC maintains the Time. It has a backup battery, where in if it loses
external power it could still maintain the clock accurately. We can set an alarm by
programming the Arduino. Say if we need to set an alarm at 4 A.M. for the automatic
rubber tapering machine to make an incision on the tree trunk, the same is
programmed into the Arduino. The Arduino Compares the time at which the alarm is

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set with that of the time maintained from the RTC. When both the time is matched
then the device is turned on.

There are 2 Limit Switches used, which helps to determine the end points for the
motor movements. Also helps to switch states of the motors. Initially the blade is in
its default positions i.e. the top left corner of the tapering area.

The Arduino is connected to the relays using the relay driver ULN2803. The relay
driver is used to control the relay. The relay driver gets its control signal from the
Arduino which is of 5V. The digital pins from the Arduino i.e. D8,D9,D10,D11 is
connected to the input pins I5, I6,I7 and I8.

The output pins from the Relay Driver i.e. O5, O6,O7,O8 are connected to the relays
1,3,2,4 respectively. A relay is an electromechanical switch which controls the power
supply to the motor. The relays R1 and R3 are connected to H-motor which is
responsible for the horizontal movement of the tapering blade. The relays R2 & R4
are connected to V-motor which is responsible for the vertical movement of the blade.
The combined movement of the 2 motors gives a downward half spiral movement of
the blade along the tree trunk. The relays are in H bridge configuration through which
the direction is controlled. The speed of the DC motors is controlled using PWM
techniques.

6.2 Flow Chart

The Flow of the program is explained with the following steps.

1. The RTC is initialization is done. The RTC sends the Arduino the time information
as an analog signal.

2. Comparison is made between the actual time and the pre-set time.

3. If the two times don’t match then repeat the previous step.

4. If the two times matches then run the vertical motor clockwise for 1 second.

5. Run both motors i.e. vertical movement motor in clockwise direction and
horizontal movement motor in anti-clockwise direction.

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6. Check if the right limit switch is ON.

7. If it is in OFF state continue with the Step 5.

8. If the right limit switch is ON, then turn both the motors OFF. 9. Turn ON the
Vertical movement motor for 500ms.

10. Run both motors i.e. vertical movement motor in anti-clockwise direction and
horizontal movement motor in clockwise direction.

11. Check if the left limit switch is ON.

12. If it is in OFF state continue with the Step 10

13. If it is ON then the control will flow to Step 2

Fig 6.2: Flow chart for the Arduino Program

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6.3 Calculations
(i) To Find Force (F)

Velocity:

V = d/t

d = Distance of cutting = 0.35 m

t = Time taken for cutting = 35 sec

V=0.01 m/s

Acceleration:

A = v2/ r

r=p/2π

p=perimeter of tree=0.55 m

r=radius of tree=0.0875 m

a=114.28 m2/s

Force:

F = m.a

F = Wm.Wo.Wt

Tm = Motor weight = 450gm

T0 = Tool weight = 50gm

Tt =Total weight = 500gm

F = 0.0057N

(ii) Efficiency of lead screw (η)

ηscrew = P0/P
P0 = Ideal effort = W.tanα

α=tan-1(p/d)

P = Actual effort = W[(tanα+tanφ)/(1-tanα.tanφ)]

W=Axial force=1N

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p=pitch=10mm

Do=major dia=14mm

Di=minor dia=12mm

d=depth=2mm

µ=co-efficent force =0.12

N=Speed=300rpm

α = 37.56o

η=79.16%
(iii) Power transmitted by screw (P)

P = 2πNT/60

N=Speed=300rpm

T=torque=P0/(d/2)

T=4.94 Nm

P=15.5 Watts

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CHAPTER 7
RESULT

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CHAPTER 7
RESULT
The Automated Rubber Tapering Machine is fixed to the rubber tree and the device
operation is performed. The results were up to the expectations.

A highly skilled labour needs about 40 seconds to tap a tree, whereas the machine
could do it in 20-30 seconds. By installing the machine on every single rubber tree in
the farm, the entire tapping process could be done within minutes. A manual labour
takes hours to complete the same job.

The flow of latex is maximum during early mornings i.e. from 3A.M. to 6A.M.
Tapping using the automated rubber tapering machine yields maximum latex as the
machine could be turned on as early in the morning as desired using the RTC.

Figure 7.1 below shows the prototype model of automated rubber tapering machine
fitted to a rubber tree and the tapered bark of the rubber tree.

Fig 7.1: Automated rubber tapper fitted to the rubber tree and Tapered bark of the
rubber tree.

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CHAPTER 8
CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK

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CHAPTER 8

CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORK

At present the Agricultural sector is facing a shortage of manual labour than any other
sectors in the world. As agriculturists form the backbone of our nation, it is of utmost
importance that proper tools be supplied to them to overcome any obstacles that they
face. The only solution for this is the application of economically balanced
technology in those areas.

The “Automated Rubber Tapering Machine” designed here is one such application of
technology in the field of rubber tapping where it requires highly skilled rubber
tapper. It simplifies and automates the whole process of rubber tapping. The device is
more reliable than manual workers. The amount of latex collected during the tapping
process done using the device will be more than the tapping done conventionally.

The prototype developed here would be a milestone for further research and
development in the field of rubber tapping. The next iteration of the device would be
designed to make it light weight, economically feasible for implementation on large
scale in rubber farms & to make it endure the environmental conditions of the farm to
last long.

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REFERENCES
[1] D.Y. Giroh and E.F. Adebayo, “Analysis of the Technical Ineffiency of Rubber
Tapping in Rubber Institute of Nigeria, Benin City, Nigeria”, Journal of Human
Ecology, 27(3): 171-174 (2009).
[2] Susan John Soumya, Rajendran S. Vishnu, R Nair Arjun, Rao R Bhavani,
“Design and testing of a semi automatic rubber tree tapping machine (SART)”, 2016
IEEE Region 10 Humanitarian Technology Conference (R10-HTC),
10.1109/R10HTC.2016.7906779, 21-23 Dec. 2016.

[3] Jithin Kumar A, Manoj Kumar M N, Prajwal Rai A, Sandeep K, “Automated

Rubber Tapper”, Project Dissertation in Department Of Electronics and
Communication Engineering, KVGCE Sullia, May 2010.

[4] Santhosh Simon, “Autonomous Navigation in Rubber Plantations”, Second

International Conference on Machine Learning and Computing 2010, Bangalore,
India, 9-11 Feb. 2010 IEEE, 10.1109/ICMLC.2010.53

[5] www.arduino.cc/en/main/arduinoboarduno

[6] https://datasheets.maximintegrated.com/en/ds/DS3231.pdf

[7] http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/uln2803a.pdf

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