ELECTRIC FENCING

Carlow, Institute of Technology

Concept Design

The Project:

This project start out looking at sustainability and the plastics wasted in certain industries. One of those industries explored was farming. Farming uses a wide range of plastics from silage wrap to fencing stakes. Much of this waste is recycled with farm and community collection points for the silage wraps and bale nets. Electric fencing stakes were identified as less lightly to be recycled this was the initial starting point of the sensor fence hypothesis.
Inspiration: A polymer electric fence stake

Idea: Recycling

The drawings lead to further developments and a 3 legged stable master stake was conceived. The initial single leg option was designed to work in corners and areas with little space in fields. This posed problems for the solar panel as it would not receive the full benefit of the sun. The 3 legged systems would be placed in the middle of the fence so that it would get the full effect of the sun out in the open field. This system also keeps the tension stable at either end of the line of fence.
The 3 legged approaches use the maximum stability to keep it upright and can hold high tension from either end. When this tension is pulled both ways the stake becomes even more stable.

Design Parameters:

The key design values that the product should include:
• Quick and easy to erect and disassemble
• Should have few parts but yet be customisable.
• Light weight and durable for all weather conditions.
• Should be environmentally aware

The Concept:

The consumer assembles the stakes away for the area where the fence is erected. e.g. a garage. They attach the electronics, solar panel, battery, etc, together on the “ master “ stake.
When the fence is customised to the needs of the consumer, ( height, stays, etc), he consumer then transports the equipment to the fence erection area.
The main stake called the “ master “ is erected first in an area suitable to allow the most sun to hit the solar panel. The stabilisers are then placed into the ground. These are placed with the user applying pressure with his foot on the base foot rest. This pressure pushes the ground spike in to the ground. As the Stabilisers are on a knuckle joint the ground spike can move to find its suitable position. The solar panel is then placed to its optimum position and turned on.