Title:- Tulsimala making system

Sketch of the project:

Problem statement:-

In many parts of India, Tulsi mala (holy basil bead garland) making is a traditional cottage industry practiced by rural artisans. The beads are typically produced manually from Tulsi stems using hand-operated lathes, which requires continuous hand rotation and shaping. This process is time-consuming, physically exhausting, and limits the productivity of artisans. Women and elderly workers especially face difficulty performing the repetitive manual work due to lower physical strength, leading to physical strain and fatigue. Additionally, the traditional process lacks proper safety measures and involves risks during continuous manual operation. Another major challenge is the absence of any system to record daily production or track working hours of artisans/labourers, making it difficult to measure productivity, manage labour time, and estimate income accurately. As market demand for Tulsi malas increases, artisans are unable to meet production requirements within limited working hours. Therefore, there is a need to develop a simple, affordable mechanized system that can assist artisans by automating the rotation of Tulsi wood, reducing physical effort, improving safety, enabling production tracking, and increasing productivity while remaining suitable for rural Indian conditions.

Literature review

1.Study1

Design of Devices for Making Beads from the Stems of Holy Basil by Yogesh Prasad, S. K. Saha, and M. R. Ravi studied the traditional process of making Tulsi beads used in Tulsi mala. The researchers observed that artisans usually produce beads manually using hand-operated lathes, which requires continuous hand rotation of Tulsi stems. This process is physically tiring, time-consuming, and results in low productivity. To address these issues, the researchers designed improved devices using belt-pulley mechanisms and motorized systems. The study showed that mechanized assistance can significantly increase production and reduce physical strain on artisans. However, the system mainly focused on improving productivity and did not fully address simple production monitoring or labour working-time tracking.

2.Study2

Several studies have shown that small mechanized tools can improve efficiency and reduce physical effort without completely replacing manual work. These technologies help artisans increase production capacity while maintaining traditional craftsmanship. However, many of the available machines are either expensive or designed for large-scale production, which makes them unsuitable for small rural cottage industries.

3.Study3

Studies on small-scale lathe machines and bead making tools indicate that introducing motor-driven systems can reduce repetitive manual labour and improve consistency in bead shape and size. These machines can increase production speed and improve quality compared to fully manual processes. However, fully automated systems may reduce employment opportunities for artisans who depend on this craft for their livelihood. Therefore, semi-automatic solutions are preferred, where machines assist the process but artisans still control the crafting operation.

Research gap

From the reviewed literature, it is observed that traditional Tulsi bead making is labour-intensive and physically demanding, and although some mechanized devices have been developed to improve productivity, several limitations still exist. Most existing systems mainly focus on mechanical rotation and shaping of beads but lack features that support efficient production management. For example, there is no mechanism to automatically count the number of beads produced per day, which makes it difficult for artisans to maintain production records. Similarly, current systems do not provide any method to monitor or record the working hours of labourers, which is important for managing productivity and wages. In addition, bead positioning and cutting in many machines still require manual adjustment, increasing effort and reducing efficiency. Therefore, there is a need for a semi-automatic system that not only assists in rotating the Tulsi stem but also automatically moves the material forward and positions it correctly for bead cutting. Such a system should also include features for bead counting and labour time tracking while remaining affordable, easy to operate, and suitable for rural artisans, ensuring that mechanization improves productivity without reducing employment opportunities.

Reference:-Prasad, Y., Saha, S. K., & Ravi, M. R. (2024). Design of Devices for Making Beads from the Stems of Holy Basil. Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research.

Objectives of the project:-

• To develop a semi-automatic Tulsi mala bead making system that assists artisans in the bead shaping process while keeping the main crafting work under human control, thereby preserving traditional skills and employment opportunities.
• To increase productivity and production efficiency so that artisans can produce more beads within the same working hours and meet increasing market demand.
• To make the system affordable and easy to operate so that it can be used by rural artisans with minimal technical knowledge.
• To improve safety during bead making by reducing the risks associated with continuous manual handling and rotation.
• To enable basic production tracking using app, such as the number of beads produced and the working time of labourers, helping artisans maintain simple production records.
• To support rural livelihoods by enhancing income generation while maintaining the traditional Tulsi mala craft.

Abstract

Tulsi mala (holy basil bead garland) making is a traditional cottage industry practiced by many rural artisans in India. The beads are generally produced manually from Tulsi stems using a hand-operated lathe, which requires continuous manual rotation and shaping. This traditional process is time-consuming, physically demanding, and limits the productivity of artisans. Women and elderly workers often face difficulty performing the repetitive manual work due to lower physical strength, which leads to fatigue and reduced production capacity. In addition, the absence of proper safety measures and lack of a system to record production or labour working hours further affects efficiency and income generation.

This project proposes the development of a semi-automatic Tulsi mala bead making machine designed to assist artisans in the bead-making process. The system automates the rotation of the Tulsi wood while allowing artisans to control the shaping process, thereby preserving traditional craftsmanship and employment. The proposed machine aims to reduce physical effort, improve safety, and increase production efficiency. It also introduces a simple method for monitoring production and labour working time. The design focuses on affordability, ease of use, and suitability for rural conditions. By combining mechanization with traditional skills, the project aims to enhance productivity, support rural livelihoods, and help artisans meet growing market demand while maintaining the cultural value of Tulsi mala making.

Image taken from Transactions of the ASME