Sketch Model Review Small scale agriculture Manioc Grater What is - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Sketch Model Review Small scale agriculture Manioc Grater

What is Manioc? • a.k.a. Cassava, Yucca Root • Widely grown & consumed in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean • 3rd most important source of calories in the tropics; high in protein, vitamins A & B • Vital source of food security & income generation

Customer Information • Developing countries: Haiti, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Mozambique, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo. • Grown by poor farmers, many of them women • Currently use time-consuming and laborious process • Uses: -Replace wheat flour -Animal feed -Binder in charcoal

Market Data • Manioc market historically neglected • Global Cassava Development Strategy: 1. Increase sustained production in growing markets 2. Guarantee uniformly made product 3. Provide international consumer market with competitive prices • To do the above, must first: -Shred manioc faster (1 manioc / min, vs.1 in 45 min now) Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN -Develop way to preserve it

Attempted Alternatives • Rotary Grater – Williams-Sonoma – could not grab material – Came out a sticky pulp – Clogged the grater • Food Mill – Crate and Barrel – Difficult to fit Manioc – Fell apart; not flexible – Did not remove material.

Shredding Theory • Smaller teeth mean fewer jams, smaller pieces, less force required. • Without holes, less likely for the manioc to clog the system. • Rotating shredders allow continuous force. • Low-speed shredders have been demonstrated as effective on a large range of materials. http://www.ssiworld.com/things/things9-en.htm

The Shredder

Manioc Grater Analysis • Keep pursuing the idea • Increase blade number and decrease spacing • Ultimately, shred into much smaller pieces • Attach to bicycle, to achieve pedal power • Goal: 1 manioc/min • Investigate production methods using cheaper components