Prototypes of a multi-purpose five function tractor, a pedal-powered wet grinder, LPG-cum-petrol motorcycle, battery-operated tricycle for physically disabled, an eco-friendly acetylene gas-run car...
These are among the top 11 projects prepared by final year mechanical engineering students of Swami Ramananda Tirtha Institute of Science and Technology here which reflect solutions to rural, everyday issues.
Although the projects are not first-of-their-kind, the fabricated and assembled units are modified to suit local conditions, with students spending money out of their pockets to craft them, say teachers.
One of the students, Md. Muzzamil Ahmed, was curious about making use of LPG to run two-wheelers, just like it is done in case of cars. He, along with five others, spent about ₹50,000 to develop a duo four-stroke motorcycle from scratch.
“My father, a motorcycle mechanic, also wondered if bike engines could work with the LPG logic, but by using a gasifier, it is supplied through filter and to the engine,” he explains.
The motorcycle, which can run at a maximum speed of 80 kmph, consumes 1 kg of LPG and records a mileage of 120 kms, the team says.
Another student A. Manjula, the only girl in the class of 57, says her project – a pedal-powered wetgrinder bicycle — can grind up to 3 kg grains at a time to produce a fine batter, and also helps burn calories at the same time.
With their assessments fast approaching, students are confident that they would earn a decent score out of the total 200 marks for the projects. However, the future seems bleak for the young creators, who have not witnessed campus placements for the past three years.
“Most HR managers and companies prefer recruiting from city colleges. Nevertheless, we will try our best,” the students say.
