Design and Fabrication of a Hand Operated Sweeping Machine

The aim of cleaning is to keep our surroundings sanitised and avoid spreading dirt and contaminants to others and ourselves. In developing countries like Namibia, land pollution primarily results from different industrial activities such as construction, manufacturing, repairing etc. These materials are generally removed or swept by humans employed to do the job or by municipality trucks. The traditional method of sweeping has been evaluated and observed to be detrimental to human health. In order to address this issue of promoting cleanliness in the country and substitute the traditional method of cleaning with a modern mechanised method, this project presents the design and fabrication of a hand-operated sweeping machine that is eco-friendly and more cost-effective. The machine used a chain and sprocket mechanism and operated on a simple principle of centrifugal motion of cylindrical brush throwing dust particles from the ground surface onto a collector. The design model was modelled using Solidworks software and analysed. Relevant assumptions were made and mathematical formulas were applied to perform calculations on the bending moment, stresses and chain length. A physical prototype was fabricated and tested. The product was observed to cause no form of pollution or danger to the environment.