Project Description:
The Icebusters set out to address the problem of removing compacted snow and refrozen ice from around parked vehicles, particularly in tight spaces beneath sedans with approximately 4 inches of ground clearance, where traditional shovels and snow blowers are ineffective and risk damaging the vehicle. The project aimed to develop a portable, handheld power tool that could fracture ice in these confined areas while reducing the physical effort and time required compared to manual snow clearing. To meet this goal, the team explored a three-subsystem architecture: a user interface for control and maneuverability, a transmission system to deliver mechanical power, and an ice-interaction system to directly engage the ice. Throughout development, the team focused on balancing competing priorities including user safety, vehicle protection, affordability, ease of handling across a range of users, and durability in cold and wet conditions. Thorough engineering analysis guided the design toward a tool intended to make digging out a vehicle faster, safer, and less physically demanding.
