FACULTY OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

SUBMISSION OF

STUDENT’S NAME: AHMAD AZKA BIN HAJI MOHD ZAIN

STUDENT’S UiTM ID: 2006686484

SPECIALIZATION: ELECTRONIC

PROJECT TITLE:

AUTOMATIC CHICKEN FEEDER

PROJECT SUPERVISOR’S

PROF. MADYA DATIN DR. WAHIDAH

PROJECT SUPERVISOR SIGNATURE:

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 16

LM.UiTM.FKE(O).08/01(Pindaan1)

FACULTY OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERINGUNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

FINAL YEAR PROJECT 1(EEE590)

SUBMISSION OF PROJECT PROPOSAL

AHMAD AZKA BIN HAJI MOHD ZAIN

2006686484

ELECTRONIC

EEDER SYSTEM USING MICROCONTROLLER

PROJECT SUPERVISOR’S NAME:

PROF. MADYA DATIN DR. WAHIDAH MANSOR

SIGNATURE:…………………………………

16 OCTOBER 2008

LM.UiTM.FKE(O).08/01(Pindaan1)

ICROCONTROLLER

…………………………………

FACULTY OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

FINAL

STUDENT’S NAME: AHMAD AZKA BIN HAJI MOHD ZAIN

STUDENT’S UiTM ID: 2006686484

PROJECT TITLE: Automatic Chicken Feeder System Using

Description

I. Research Methodology (Will be filled by Project Coordinator)

Attendance Seminars

II. Proposal (Will be filled by Project Supervisor)

a) Abstract The abstract should consist of the following Brief overview of the project scope. Summary of the proposed project.

b) Introduction The introduction part should: Outline brief overview of the project and identify the

encountered problems. Describe the methods already available in solving the problem Describe the proposed

project.

c) Methodology Describe the approach in the project. May involve the following

construction, analysis and proposed f

d) Plan schedules (Gantt Chart)

e) Conclusions Discuss on the (expected) results of the method used and its

usefulness.

III. Work Progress (Will be filled by Project Supervisor)

Creativity/ideas

Logbook

Supervisor’s Signature Name:

LM.UiTM.FKE(O).08

FACULTY OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERINGUNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

FINAL YEAR PROJECT 1 (EEE590)EVALUATION FORM

AZKA BIN HAJI MOHD ZAIN

2006686484

Automatic Chicken Feeder System Using Microcontroller

DescriptionMarks

Allocated

(Will be filled by Project Coordinator)

10

(Will be filled by Project Supervisor)

The abstract should consist of the following elements:-Brief overview of the project scope.

ummary of the proposed project. 1

The introduction part should:-Outline brief overview of the project and identify the encountered problems.Describe the methods already available in solving the problem Describe the proposed approach to be implemented in the

20

approach in the project.May involve the followings:- Simulation, Design, hardware

analysis and proposed field tests.35

(Gantt Chart) for both semesters. 10

Discuss on the (expected) results of the method used and its 20

Total Marks 100

Sub Total Part II: 50

(Will be filled by Project Supervisor)

20

20

Sub Total Part III: 40

Total: ………../ Coordinator’s Signature Date:

LM.UiTM.FKE(O).08/02(Pindaan1)

Microcontroller

MarksAllocated

Marks Obtained

10

15

20

35

10

20

100

50

20

20

40

Total: ………../ 100 marks

Title: Automatic Chicken Feeder System Using Microcontroller.

1.0 Introduction

Although we are moving towards develop nation status by 2020, agriculture is

still relevant. Nowadays, farming and breeding are as important as the other crucial

sectors. Year by year the numbers of entrepreneurs that get involve in commercialize

chicken breeding increases. Nowadays, government also encourages people to make

small business as an alternative to increase their income and at the same time

improving our economy status [1]. When people do this as a commercial purpose,

they need to determine the suitable size of the chicken cage. The specific size of the

chicken cage is needed in order to cater to the total number of the chickens. For

commercial purposes, usually people allocate more than 5000 chickens in some big

cages. Most people usually have less than 2000 chicken one cage [2]. That would be

considers as a small business. Another aspect also needs to be considered is the

method of feeding the chicken. The method can be done in two ways whether by

manually or automatically.

As we know before the development of technology and ICT people were used to

the conventional method to feed chickens which is by filling containers with grains

and foods manually. The main problem by doing this method is we need to

continuously provide the food, be alert and conscious on the food remaining in cages

all by ourselves. The sufficient amount of the food provided also cannot be

determined clearly. It is such a waste and non-economical. Breeders also find that it is

difficult to manage their business effectively because they need to be around the cages

every now and then to monitor the poultry.

Nowadays, the automatic feeding system is available in the market. This method

is actually better than manual. But, there are also some problems and weakness need

to be overcome and solved. Firstly, the automation, the computerized method is

suitable and caters more to the commercial purpose. This is because the needs of high

investment for equipment and devices. We also need precise manual guide and

knowledgeable, skilled people to operate the machine. Second, more workspace is

needed to put and assembly the automatic system.

Therefore, an automatic chicken feeder system is proposed to provide the food

effectively and also to control chickens feeding time. This controller system provides

an efficient solution for exact quantity of the food distribution, fixed feeding time and

hassle free automatic feeding in order to help breeders. User can set desired time and

save it to microcontroller’s memory. As the consequences, the feeder will feed the

chicken automatically as what has been set.

2.0 Literature Review

Manual chicken feeder

The manual feeder system consist the various type of the container. Manual

system needs human to refill the container with grain and it must be done constantly.

The time to feed the chicken also cannot be determined exactly, usually two times per

day. The system does not have any electronic system; it only consists of plastic

container. This container can be get with various sizes and shape such as circle,

vertical etc. The size is determined by what amount can be hold by container. The

vertical size container is around 30 – 50cm. The containers need to hang up to avoid

the chicken scrape the grain. The figure 2 shows two type of the container. This

container only can holds grain with amount around 2 - 18 kilogram [18].

Figure 2: The type of manual feeder

Galvanized Chick Feeder with anti waste holes

Durable Plastic chicken feeder

Automatic chicken feeder

These automatic systems consist of the expensive hardware, the manual guide

to use and also use more electricity. Most of the automatic system use motor to

provide movement. The container will move through the feeder and fill up with grain

with a specific amount. This system very useful but required a lot a money to use it.

The maintenance also needed to make it functionally. The feeder will move around

the cage and will fill up by the grain. These systems only operate during the feeding

time. The benefit for this system, it is not required human to go to the plate to fill the

grain. But this system still needs a human to control the machine. The more work

space is also needed to place this machine. The figure 3 show the automatic chicken

feeder that use for nowadays.

Figure 3: The type of automatic feeder system

3.0 The Automatic Chicken Feeder System Using Microcontroller

The block diagram of the system is shown in figure 5. The main component of

the system consists:

1) Microcontroller (PIC)

2) Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

3) Switch

4) Motor

The input of the system is determined by the switch. Switches are used to interface

between the user and the microcontroller. These switches provide to user to enter the

desired time. The microcontroller will be read the signal from the switch and store as

the input.

This paper proposes a new chicken feeder system by using microcontroller. It

is an alternative method to replace the conventional technique. This system will be

use the microcontroller to replace human energy [3]. The function of the

microcontroller is to control this automatic chicken feeder which will solve all the

problems regarding chicken feeding process. The microcontrollers are connected with

switch, LCD and stepper motor. Microcontroller receives the input from the switch

and then will be process the data to feed the chicken. It also helps the user by display

the current operation and time simultaneously using LCD. Another output of the

system is a stepper motor. This motor is selected because it can easily perform to

control the chicken feeder. Figure 4 show how the stepper motor will be use.

The size of the casing can be determined depends on the amount of chicken take

every day. This system is different with the other automatic system. Most of the

automatic systems require more space to operate and also costly.

Stepper motor with gear

Slide

Switch

LCD

Figure 4: The casing with the stepper motor

3.1 The System Operation

The significant of this project is to maintain the schedule for chicken feeding

in a specific time. It will help people to feed the chicken with exact and sufficient

amount. The system will be operated according to the time that has been set. Then,

breeders do not have to worry if they forgot to feed the chicken or if they want to

leave the chicken for a few days. The microcontroller will do it for them. In order to

do that, we need the second part that is software part. The software part contains the

assembly language.

Once the system is on, the program will be initialize the output, input port and

the LCD. Then, the program will scan the switch whether it is pressed or not. User can

choose the time needed to feed the chicken.

Then system will be run 24 hours and the food will be feed. Once the system

needs to feed the chicken, the microcontroller will set the motor ON to feed the

chicken. The amount of food feed depends on the delay set in the software.

This system it does not require person to monitor because all process will be

performed by the microcontroller. The breeder can leave the system for the whole

days, and for minimum of three days.

MicrocontrollerSwitch Motor

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

Figure 5: Block diagram of the whole system

Yes

No

No

Read user setting

Delay 1

Is it time to feed?

Yes

Figure 6: The flowchart of the system

Start

Initialize the LCD, input & output ports

System run

Turn on the motor

Delay 2

Turn off the motor

Is the switch is press

End

4.0 Project Methodology

This project has been conducted by do some literature review such as survey

on the internet what people have done before about the chicken feeder. The

information about chicken feeder also came out by reading from newspaper. Besides

that, the discussion with the people that involve in chicken feeder also been done.

This project requires a lot of information regarding the process that involves in

existing feeding system. For example, we need to find out the appropriate feeding

duration and so on so forth [2]. After we gather all the data and information then only

the system can be built and constructed. This project will be conducted by using two

separate parts which are software and hardware parts. It is important to know about

the feature and components of the controller in order to control it [4]. Microcontroller

acts as the time controller whereby it distinguishes the appropriate feeding time to

poultry.

The project consists of two different parts that are interrelated to each other.

The first part that must be highly considered is the hardware. The specifications of the

system need to be determined according the problem statement. This system will act

like human to feed the chicken.

The controller circuit needs the motor to replace the human energy. For this,

we need the microcontroller to control the motor such PIC. The name PIC initially

referred to "Programmable Interface Controller", but shortly thereafter was renamed

"Programmable Intelligent Computer" [4]. All the PIC’s that are produced by

Microchip Company have a specific instruction that need to be study carefully and

attentively [5, 21]. Another component is the LCD [6]. An alphanumeric LCD will be

used in this system to display the time to feed the chicken. “How to use Intelligent

LCD” proposed by Julyan Ilett [7] is one of the resources article needed to be studied

in order to control the LCD. The LCD will be embedded to the microcontroller to

complete the system.

There are other components needed to build up the system such as resistor,

capacitor, resonator, voltage regulator, keypad and battery as a main supply. Once the

system is built up, the software for controlling can design.

The PIC microcontroller need to program in order to make it function in the

circuit. The way to program the PIC can be done by various ways such as using C

programming [8, 15], assembly language [9, 19, 20] and BASIC language [16, 17].

By using C program, the instruction can be simple and not complex [10, 22].

This instruction is needed to initialize the LCD. The LCD has the specific command

to make it function [7].

The Instructions that will be use in the microcontroller can be developed by

using MPLAB Integrated Development Environment (IDE) [11, 14]. The function of

this software is to compile the assembly language into the machine code. We know

that the C programming can be used to program PIC [8]. Then, the compiler for C

programming is going to be used and need to select. The compiler that can be used for

compiling task is the mikroC for PIC [12]. As we know C Programming comprises of

the high level language. It takes much more memory in the PIC. Therefore, the PIC

that has more memory should be used in this case.

Once all the software and hardware part is built up, the simulation part can be

run to test whether it is function or not. In order to save cost and reduce hardware

failures, hardware can be simulated by using the software Proteus Virtual System

Modeling (VSM) that provided by the company Labcenter Electronic [13]. This

software can be used to simulate almost all of the microcontroller functions. We can

key in the instruction codes and the system will work accordingly as what have been

saved and coded.

The simulation must indicate the software and hardware to make it function

properly. Then we can be built up the system on the PCB board. The unique

instruction will be burn in into the PIC. The assembly language is designed

compatibility with the hardware. The hardware and software will be test

simultaneously. Output and input ports are determined by the hardware assembly. The

software need to be burn in many times to test the hardware. The voltage and current

can measure by using oscilloscope. The output can be monitor and must be stable with

the different amount of the grain. The graph and table be describing the result.

The result from the testing can be use to write the thesis and technical paper.

All the information will be use during the presentation. The preparation for the

presentation will be included all the software and hardware part. Once the thesis is

already finish, then can be submitted.

There are a few limitations and disadvantages in this project. This project only

focuses on feeding the chicken meanwhile water, temperature and environment are

not to be considered. Otherwise, size of the container also limited to a specific amount

of grain. For example the container only can support 1kg of grain in a time. More

amount of grain need bigger container.

5.0 Conclusion

As a conclusion, the system is expected to provide the food to the chickens

and poultry for the whole days without constantly human monitoring. This system

offers more benefit and user friendly. It is expected to run in less power consumption

during operation and low cost to setup and controls.

References

[1] “Kempen Ternak Ayam Kampong”, Utusan Malaysia online, 15/04/1998

[2] Ismail Muda, Private communication, Self Business, 2008

[3] Tim Wilmshurst, “Designing Embedded System with PIC Microcontroller”, 1st

Edition, Elsevier Ltd., 2007.

[4] “PIC Microcontroller”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PIC_microcontroller/

[5] Julio Sanchez, Maria P.Canton., “Microcontroller Programming The Microchip

PIC®”, CRC Press, 2007.

[6] “Liquid Crystal Display”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LCD_display

[7] Julyan Ilett, “How to Use intelligent LCD”, Everyday Practical Electronic

Magazines,Vol 36 No 2, February 1997.

[8] Jivan S.Parab, Vinod G.Shelake, “Exploring C for Microcontroller”, Springer,

2007.

[9] Nebojsa Matic, “The PIC Microcontroller”,

http://www.mikroe.com/en/books/picbook/picbook.htm

[10] Mike Hibbett, “C for PICs”, Everyday Practical Electronic, November 2007

[11] “MPLAB Integrated Development Environment”,

http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=

1406&dDocName=en019469&redirects=mplab

[12] “mikroC for PIC”, http://www.mikroe.com/en/

[13] “The VSM Advantage”, http://www.labcenter.co.uk/index.cfm.

[14] Mike Hibbett, “An Introduction to MPLAB”, Everyday Practical Electronic,

June 2007.

[15] Dogan Ibrahim, “Advance PIC Microcontroller Projects in C” Elsevier, 2008

[16] “Programming PIC microcontroller in BASIC”,

http://www.mikroe.com/en/books/picbasicbook/00.htm

[17] Dogan Ibrahim, “PICBASIC Projects 30 Projects Using PIC BASIC and

PIC BASIC PRO”, Elsevier, 2006

[18] “Home Farm Fowls”, http://www.homefarmfowls.co.uk/feeders.html

[19] D.W. Smith, “PIC in Practice”, ELSEVIER, 2006

[20] Sid Katzen, “The Quintessential PIC Microcontroller”, Springer-Verlag,

November 8, 2000

[21] "PIC® Microcontroller Overview",

http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=

2120&param=en022594

[22] Muhammad Ali Mazidi, Rolin D.McKinlay, Danny Causey, “PIC Microntroller

and Embedded Systems using Assembly and C for PIC18”, Prentice Hall, 2008

Semester July 2008 – November 2008 and December 2008 – April 2009

Task/Month JULY AUGUST SPETEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MAC APRIL

Literature review

Design the controller circuit and feeder casingDesign the software for controlling processing

Learn how to program the PIC

Perform SimulationBuild electronic controller and developed controlling software

Build casing

Hardware & software testing

Writing thesis Prepare Technical paper & presentationSubmit thesis