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EdRack Project Information
EdRack Project Information
Project Summary:
Project Summary:
Cleveland’s short outdoor growing season limits local food production and hinders year-round agricultural research. This project proposes the development of a compact indoor vertical growing system using the Rayn EdRack, a modular educational platform designed for controlled agriculture, supplied by CropKing.
The student-led engineering team will configure and optimize the built-in features of the EdRack, including integrated dimmable LED lighting, vertical grow modules, and programmable controls.
The EdRack’s educational features will be leveraged to support both hands-on student learning and community outreach.
The project directly supports CSU’s strategic goals for innovation, STEM engagement, and sustainability, and will result in a deployable hydroponic system that enhances educational outcomes while advancing local food resiliency.
Objectives
Objectives
Assemble, configure and deploy an EdRack-based hydroponic system capable of year-round crop production.
Utilize built-in lighting, irrigation, and monitoring tools for system automation.
Evaluate system performance, energy efficiency, and crop yield across multiple growth cycles.
Develop open-source documentation for community education and outreach
Methods and Design
Methods and Design
Assemble and configure the EdRack vertical farming platform.
Leverage built-in dimmable LED grow lights and digital timer to optimize light exposure across growth stages
Grow leafy greens and herbs in stacked channels to evaluate plant health, yield, and system reliability.
Analyze power usage, crop productivity, and maintenance requirements.
Document procedures, results, and recommended classroom integrations.
Timeline
Timeline
Month 1:
System design finalization and parts procurement
Month 2:
Hardware assembly and system integration
Months 3–4:
Initial plant trials, environmental calibration
Month 5:
Outreach and curriculum development
Month 6:
Final presentation and project report
Alignment with SICHOP and Senior Design Goals:
Alignment with SICHOP and Senior Design Goals:
Student-led Engineering: Students lead design, build, programming, and testing phases.
STEM Integration: Combines mechanical systems, hydroponics, environmental monitoring, and data science.
Outreach: Final system and curriculum shared with the broader community through CSU-hosted events.
Innovation: Introduces scalable, modular indoor growing systems for educational and research use.
Capstone Fit: This project offers a multidisciplinary challenge that aligns directly with the objectives of CSU’s Senior Design curriculum. Students will apply principles of mechanical, electrical, (bio)chemical, and software engineering to build a functional prototype that mimics real-world engineering constraints—budget limitations, iterative testing, and stakeholder communication. The project scope supports teamwork, documentation, system integration, and public demonstration, all of which are core expectations of the senior capstone experience.
Evaluation Plan:
Evaluation Plan:
System Metrics: Energy use, crop yield, downtime, system maintenance needs.
Outreach Engagement: Feedback from public demonstrations and shared lesson modules.
Deliverables: Poster, technical report, public dataset, instructional modules for outreach.
Sustainability & Dissemination:
Sustainability & Dissemination:
The project will seed future development of a CSU-led urban agriculture curriculum and could support additional partnerships with the surrounding community. Findings will be presented at the CSU Senior Design Symposium and made available through open-access channels
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
This project leverages the EdRack’s educational design and modularity to create a replicable indoor agriculture platform that blends engineering, sustainability, and public outreach. By funding this initiative, OSGC will help empower students while contributing to resilient food system innovation.
Equipment:
Equipment:
Information on EdRack by Rayn Growing Systems can be found at:
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