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Problem
Problem
Manual rain gutter cleaning is unsafe (ladder/roof risks) and inefficient. There was a need for a lightweight automated solution integrating mechanical, electrical, and control systems within a multidisciplinary student team.
Task & Action
Task & Action
As system architecture lead, I defined the functional structure of a <2.5 kg tracked cleaning robot. I developed subsystem interfaces, electrical schematics, and D-FMEA analysis, and modelled interactions between mechanical, electrical, and control components to ensure system-level consistency.
Result
Result
Complete functional architecture ready for prototyping
Defined subsystem interfaces and failure modes (D-FMEA)
Electrical schematics and system interaction models delivered
Strengthened interdisciplinary integration across 4 engineering domains
What I did
What I did
This project was developed as part of a multidisciplinary engineering team at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. My main responsibility focused on the functional system architecture and system interaction modelling of the robot.
Specifically, I contributed to:
Functional system decomposition and definition of system boundaries
Interaction modelling between mechanical, electrical, and control subsystems
Analysis of environmental interaction and operational constraints
Electric schematics design
D-FMEA design (Failure mode analysis)
Support in overall system design discussions and validation
Contribution to collaborative design reviews, documentation, and testing phases
This role required bridging mechanical design, control engineering, and product architecture perspectives.
What this is about
What this is about
The project aimed to develop a compact autonomous robot for cleaning rain gutters safely and efficiently.
The robot is designed to:
Move inside roof gutters using motor-driven tracks
Remove debris via a rotating brush mechanism
Be deployed from ground level using a telescopic pole
Reduce safety risks associated with ladder-based cleaning
The system combines mechanical design, embedded control, product engineering, and market analysis to create a practical home-maintenance robotic solution.
Overview
Overview
Technical Concept
Technical Concept
Lightweight tracked robot (<2.5 kg) designed for standard gutters
Brush-based debris removal mechanism
Microcontroller-based control system with sensor feedback
Remote operation from ground level
Engineering Workflow
Engineering Workflow
Requirements definition and concept evaluation
Functional modelling and system architecture design
CAD modelling and prototyping
Design validation through testing and simulations
Cost, manufacturability, and market feasibility analysis
This interdisciplinary workflow reflects real industrial product development practice.
3D Model
3D Model
Below here there is a model of the robot with highlighted failure analysis.
Functional Diagram
Functional Diagram
Simplified diagram depicts system boundaries, signal, energy, and power workflow.
Input/Output Flow Diagram
Input/Output Flow Diagram
Below there is input/output table for the project, as well as the flow diagram depicting the relations between them.
Electric Schematics
Electric Schematics
Below is a KiCad schematics for electronic components used in the robot.
Challenges I Faced
Challenges I Faced
System abstraction and modelling
Translating physical design ideas into a functional architecture required balancing engineering realism with conceptual clarity.
Interdisciplinary coordination
Ensuring consistent interfaces between mechanical, electrical, and control subsystems required continuous communication within the team.
Engineering trade-offs
Safety, cost, robustness, and usability constraints often conflicted and required structured evaluation.
These challenges strengthened my skills in systems thinking and engineering collaboration.
References and Links
References and Links
This project was completed as a group engineering project at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences.
Project team:
Grigorii Fediakov – Mechatronic Systems Engineering
Donghyun Cho – Industrial Engineering
Jan-Lukas Trienekens – Mechanical Engineering
Moustafa Khalil Aly Elsaid – Mechatronic Systems Engineering
Full technical documentation available in the official project report below
(project report is a part of study course Group Project at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences and therefore protected from unauthorized usage)
PDF Report
PDF Report
Gutter_Cleaning_Robot_Group_09-3.pdfLinkedIn | +1 (917) 916 4549 | Brooklyn, NY 11226 | feduakov17@gmail.com
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