Design and Fabrication of an Automatic Controlled Automobile Screw Jack

Abstract

This project focuses on the development of an automated screw jack system controlled through a smartphone interface for convenience, safety, and efficiency. It consists of a 12V DC electric motor, microcontroller-based control circuitry, and a power screw made of high-strength steel. The major problem addressed in this project is that the operation of screw jacks is mostly manual and may be cumbersome and not safe, especially when heavy vehicles are being lifted. This therefore calls for an automatic screw jack to be developed for lifting loads up to 1000 kg at an average lifting speed of 10 seconds for a 20 cm elevation. The features were complimented by other safety features such as load monitoring, anti-drop mechanisms, and an emergency stop function. The approach involved in this project encompasses design, fabrication, and testing. Performance tests focused on speed, load capacity, and reliability of operation. Tests showed that with this system, there was the possibility of its running continuously for over 50 lifting cycles without failure, lifting heavy loads efficiently while maintaining safety. Further convenience and usability were added to the system by the inclusion of the Web Interface. The automated screw jack will be an incredibly significant upgrade over the conventional jacks in terms of offering a safer, more efficient, and user-friendly operation in performing vehicle maintenance and repair tasks. Results of this project showed that it is possible to perform further optimizations related to load capacity and power consumption.