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Engineering Proposal/Presentation

          One way or the other the purpose of creating most technology and devices is to make people’s lives easier. Over the last century, many innovations occurred to make the chores of man easier, to finish a task faster, and to be done with more efficiency. Dealing with clothes is a task that takes a lot of effort and takes a lot of time in every home, from washing to drying to ironing and folding. Technology such as a washing machine, dryer, and ironing machine each carry out these specific tasks, but have you ever thought what if there was a machine that could do it all? Doing laundry the old-fashioned way takes up a lot of time, space, and effort. People are stuck juggling between different tasks, dealing with all sorts of problems along the way which takes up more energy. If you have a lot of clothes to deal with, ironing and folding can be tiring. With all the tasks rolled into one machine, laundry day would save time, energy, and space, making life a whole lot easier for everyone.Some ideas that our group has proposed were Heated glasses that prevent fog, GPS Glasses, and Translation Devices. Starting with the fog – fog-preventing glasses, we think it is a struggle for those who wear glasses to walk through very humid weather or any place that may cause fog in the glasses. A solution to this struggle would be to replace the glasses themselves and have them clear their vision at every moment during the given circumstance. Unfortunately, we found out that these glasses already exist. Next, I came up with the idea of glasses that would give you directions on where to go so that you don’t have to keep on looking at your phone and always see straight ahead of you. Recently Google glasses were discontinued and although they no longer exist, the idea and solution to our problem were there. Lastly, we have translation devices. The translation device we were discussing was a translation earbud that allows you to understand someone who speaks a different language, like the previous ideas, this one already exists. They are the Time Kettle M3 Language Translator and are said to be fairly accurate.  A washing machine that washes, dries and folds clothes would require advanced robotics and artificial intelligence.  As effective as it is on its own, there is a manual option for almost every feature. The washing machine allows an individual to stop any process that the machine is going through at the moment. The way it does this is by breaking the electrical circuit preventing power from passing through. This is not an emergency stop for the machine, it is more of a regular stop that could be used in an emergency. The washing machine would start by washing the clothes like any other one would, but as the process goes on, it also allows the clothes to dry for a few minutes afterward. This is similar to an all-in-one washer where it tumbles and cleans when you add water, detergent, and clothes. The spin cycle, which comes after the wash cycle, removes excessive water from the clothing to dry it. Through the vent, the machine takes in fresh air from the room and warms it up to dry the clothes. Steam inside the machine escapes through the vent to keep it dry, just like in independent vented dryers. Taking the all-in-one washing machine a step further, once all the clothes are dried, there are sensors all around the inside of the machine that detect fabric types and levels of moisture. The way it does this is by sending out various lights and seeing how different fabric reflects or absorbs light. After each piece of fabric is detected, a robotic arm built similar to one you may see in arcade machines would grab a piece of fabric and send it through a rectangular plastic foldable  The washing machine that folds clothes is also feature-loaded making them user-friendly since all you have to do is press “start”, go wherever you need to, and come back to see all your clothes folded nicely. The materials are going to be similar to a normal washer and dryer, this includes materials such as Aluminum, Copper, Steel, Silicon, Electronics etc. Dryers can also be changed in many ways, depending on the material and process, for example, the shell can be improved to have heat retention for longer by installing the addition of insulation to the dryer. A correctly constructed shell is one of the most important processes in the drying process for building this machine. The shell has to keep its process efficient, and it has to be dependable for years to come, we wouldn’t want the customer to complain that the machine has broken down because of faulty material only a month into its purchase. Not only would using the wrong materials in one part break down that part of the machine, but it would also be affecting what’s around it and wear on all of the other components with which it shares that space. Materials required for the machine’s construction are stainless steel that needs to be used due to its durability, corrosion resistance, and ability to withstand high temperatures. It is essential for the inner drum, exterior casing, and various internal components to ensure longevity and reliability. High-quality plastics are required in certain parts of the machine, such as the detergent dispenser, control panel, and exterior trim. These materials should be sturdy, heat-resistant, and resistant to chemical degradation from detergents and other cleaning agents. Aluminum alloy needs to be used for lightweight components such as folding arms or mechanisms. Aluminum offers strength and durability while also being lightweight, making it suitable for moving parts within the machine. Heat-resistant fabrics given the ironing functionality, the machine may incorporate heat-resistant fabrics or materials for the ironing surface and related components. These materials would need to withstand high temperatures without deforming or releasing harmful chemicals. Microfiber or Non-Stick Coatings are needed to facilitate the folding process, the machine might feature surfaces coated with microfiber or non-stick materials. These coatings would help prevent clothes from sticking and make it easier to fold them neatly without snagging or wrinkling. Electronic components including sensors, control boards, and actuators, would be essential for automating the washing, ironing, and folding processes. These components would need to be reliable, energy-efficient, and capable of precise control to ensure optimal performance. Rubber and silicone seals would be used to prevent water leaks and ensure a watertight seal in critical areas such as the door or detergent compartment. These seals should be durable and resistant to degradation from water and detergents. Insulation materials may be required to regulate temperature and reduce noise emissions from the machine. These materials would help maintain consistent heating for the ironing function and minimize disturbance to users during operation. These materials would provide the necessary strength, heat resistance, and reliability to handle the tasks proposed in this innovative laundry care.Incorporating Artificial intelligence (AI) into such a machine could significantly enhance its functionality and user experience. AI algorithms could optimize washing programs based on fabric type and soiling level, adapt ironing settings to user preferences, provide smart folding assistance, monitor maintenance needs, personalize user interactions, and optimize energy efficiency. While AI integration adds complexity and cost to the design and development process, the benefits in terms of efficiency, convenience, and user satisfaction would be substantial. If promoted properly it would be an investment to its creating company.Building this machine would take a marginally larger amount of time than just building a washing machine and dryer separately. This is because it would be mounted vertically and attached onto each other. The manufacturing process of just the washing machine takes around 2-3 weeks depending on the materials and how easily they would be able to be manufactured together. Adding on top of that the dryer, would take less amount of time because the functions of a dryer are simpler than a washing machine putting it at a timeline of around 1-2 weeks. Now addressing the most complicated part of the machine, the folder, it would take a considerable amount of time to program the software, find the right materials, and labor to put it all together which adds to my estimation of around 3-4 months for only this part of the machine. How much time it would take to combine these machines, it would take around a day or two for the machining of combining them. My total estimation brings it around to about 4-6 months for only one of our machines. Now we would improve the rate at which these machines would be manufactured but that would be after we have established ourselves in the industry and have the funds to make an assembly line for rapid access.The cost of the innovation is going to be roughly around 7 thousand dollars for us. This is between material cost, motors, fans, cabinet closures, drums, and control panel. Of course we will be completing the project with stable and reliable equipment at an affordable cost for us giving us a solid margin to receive a good return on investment. Our high quality motor will cost us around 1200$. Fans will cost us around 1100. The Cabin closures such as hinges, latches and handles are very important to have top notch quality when building so this will run us about 1300. The stainless steel drums will cost us about 700. The Control panel will also be essential in a successful machine so this will be a necessity at 1000. This will consist of components such as buttons, knobs, displays and electronic circuitry. Lastly the folding unit on the bottom would run us about 2500 while giving it efficient grabbing without snagging and completed neatly. The Width of the machinery will be separated into pieces. With the washer, dryer, and folding components they will all equal around 80 inches in height. The width would be around 25 inches and the depth would be about 28 inches. The weight of the machine will be roughly around 200-210 lbs. The dryer and washer will both be equally spaced in capacity giving it a dimension of 2.5 to 5.0 cubic feet.The main purpose of most technology is to make life easier. Our innovative technology aims to do just that by washing, drying, and folding clothes automatically. Using advanced technology, it will save time, energy, and space. It may take about 4-6 months to build and cost around $7,000, but the convenience it offers makes it worth the investment. This machine could change how we do laundry, making it much easier for everyone.

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