Design and Development of Innovative Hand-Spinning Equipment for Enhancing Khadi Artisan Productivity and Income
“Rural Khadi spinning artisans, mostly women, suffer from physical fatigue, joint pain, and slow output due to heavy and non-ergonomic traditional hand-spinning wheels (Charkhas). This problem asks for a redesigned, lightweight, highly efficient, and ergonomic hand-operated spinning machine that significantly increases yarn output and quality without using grid electricity.”
Deconstructed Problem Blueprint
WHAT TO BUILD?
An ergonomic, lightweight, portable, multi-spindle manual hand-spinning hardware prototype combined with an IoT-enabled digital quality monitoring attachment or companion app.
WHO IS IT FOR?
Primary beneficiaries are rural women Khadi artisans, Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Ministry of MSME, and rural self-help groups (SHGs).
WHY DOES IT EXIST?
Existing New Model Charkhas (NMC) are heavy, physically taxing, cause repetitive strain injuries (RSI), and yield inconsistent yarn count (twist density), limiting artisan daily earnings to low rates despite long hours.
INPUT → PROCESS → OUTPUT ARCHITECTURE PIPELINE
Raw sliver/cotton roving fed manually; mechanical rotational force via ergonomic hand-crank/foot-pedal system; optoelectronic spindle speed sensor readings.
Gear-ratio multiplication with low-friction polymer bearings; torque optimization to maintain consistent tension; digital processing of rotation speed (RPM) and tension metrics via low-power microcontroller.
Higher hanks/day output of uniform cotton yarn; real-time LED indicator for optimum spinning speed; smartphone dashboard tracking daily production yield and estimated earnings.
CONSTRAINTS
- 100% human-operated or hybrid kinetic energy storage (must retain Khadi certification rules requiring non-electric primary operation)
- Unit cost must remain under ₹8,000–12,000 for mass rural adoption
- Total weight must not exceed 8-10 kg for easy portability
- Must withstand harsh rural environments (dust, humidity, zero internet connectivity)
JURY METRICS
- Hanks produced per 8-hour shift (target >30% increase over NMC)
- Yarn count uniformity (CV% of yarn twist and breaking strength)
- Ergonomic fatigue reduction score (measured via muscle torque load / REBA scale)
- Manufacturing cost per unit and payload weight
CORE BOTTLENECK
Balancing high gear ratios for multi-spindle drive (e.g., 12-16 spindles) to maximize production while maintaining low manual cranking torque so that women artisans can operate it effortlessly for 6-8 hours.
Why You Should Choose This PS (Pros)
- High social impact potential with direct evaluation from KVIC and Ministry of MSME experts
- Tangible physical prototype display gives an immediate edge in live Grand Finale demos
- Massive deployment opportunity across thousands of rural Khadi centers across India
Challenges & Risks to Watch (Cons)
- Requires actual mechanical fabrication (3D printing, gear design, frame welding) before the event
- Strict Khadi definition compliance: overuse of electric motors risks disqualification as true Khadi equipment
- Need field testing data or solid biomechanical proof to convince judges
Recommended Tech Stack & Grand Finale Features
Killer Features to Impress the SIH Jury
View Official SIH 2026 Portal Raw Text▼
Khadi is a sustainable rural textile system based on hand-spun yarn and hand-woven fabric produced by decentralized artisans using manually operated Charkhas like the New Model Charkha. While it supports rural livelihoods, especially for women, existing systems still face issues of low efficiency, discomfort, inconsistent yarn quality, and limited productivity.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved manually operated spinning system with better ergonomics, higher productivity, user-friendly design, and enhanced aesthetics, while preserving the traditional and sustainable nature of Khadi production.
To Design and develop an innovative, lightweight, portable, and ergonomic manually operated hand-spinning system to improve yarn production efficiency and quality, reduce manual effort, and enhance livelihood and income opportunities for Khadi women artisans in decentralized production.