Manual Cassava PeelerTeam Lead: Kate Randolph

Financial Chair: Hawley HelmbrechtDesign Chair: Eddie VinciguerraCommunity Partner: Daniel Nzengya

Project Objective:To create and distribute a machine that is able to efficiently peel cassavas for rural farms in Kenya.

End Goal:InexpensiveDurableUser FriendlySafe

CassavaRoot Vegetable

High in Protein and Starch 1 Million Tons Produced in Kenya Every YearRelied Upon as the Main Nutrional Source

Problem●Large Amount of Cassava Wasted Each Year

○Kenyans unable to peel cassavas before they rot

○Current peeling technique is inefficient

Current Method in Kenya:●Currently Peeled by Hand (with a knife)

large portion of the “meat” lostnot safe difficult very time consuming

Who would benefit from thisKenyan Farmers

Can more efficiently process their product.Can produce more product for less work.Kenyan familiesFarmers can supply more cassava products to

towns/villages.Families can process their own cassavas.

Previous Design

● Power: Rolling across a surface

● Abrasion on inside of cylinder

● Only One Cylinder

Testing - Current MethodMethod: Knife

Pros: ● Easy to hold

Cons: ● Could not cut through outer

peel● Not easily controlled● Easy to accidentally cut into

meat● Not as safe as grater

Testing - Abrasion Technique

Method: Large Grater

Pros:● Cut through skin

easily

Cons:● Took off too much

of the meat

Method: Medium/Large Grater

Pros:● Did not remove as

much meat

Cons:● Still removed

substantial meat

● Did not cut through skin easily

Testing - Abrasion Technique

Method:Medium/Small Grater

Pros:● Did not remove

much of the meat

Cons:● Left a lot of skin

behind

Method:Small Grater

Pros:● Removed

majority of skin● Did not remove

much meat

Cons:● Grater becomes

clogged easily

Current Design● Metal/plastic tube

● used as the mold to

wrap the sheet metal around

● Abrasive material

● To be wrapped around the outside of the tube

Current Design● Wooden Crate to House the

Abrasive Cylinders● Three Abrasive Cylinders● Cylinders Will Rotate in

Opposite Direction

Current Obstacles●Power Source●Adjusting to Various Sizes and Shapes of Cassavas

●Peeling the cassavas evenly

Design ImprovementsRemoved Rolling MethodInverted Abrasive Side of CylinderAdded Multiple CylindersContained Cylinders Within a BoxCreated an Inverse-Rotation Design

Criteria for the Prototype●Efficiency

○Percent of cassava peeled○Time to peel number of cassavas

●Ease of Use○Emptying the cassava peels○Cleaning the blades

●Cost●Manufacturability

Budget for the SemesterCurrent Semester: $400

Cassavas - $80Wooden Boxes - $50Sheet Metal - $ 100PVC Piping - $60Misc - $150

End Goal:Final Price Lower Than $300

Semester TimelineSeptember NovemberOctober

- Evaluate obstacles and problems of old design- Brainstorm new design- Create sketch of new design- Plan materials and steps necessary to create prototype- Design Review

- Evaluate design based off of comments from design review- Collect materials- Build prototype- Find an industry partner- Meet with community partner

- Contact Kenyan farmers- Evaluate Prototype- Plan for Next Semester- Final Design Review

Continued TimelineDecember FutureSpring Semester

- Asses work from past semester- Update Design Document- Adjust goals for next semester - Create plan for spring semester

- Reevaluate old design- Build new prototype or improve old prototype- Compare working prototype to efficiency of current Kenyan farming techniques

-Design Distribution Process for Prototypes

-Implement Prototypes in Farms in Kenya

-Improve the Product for the People in Kenya

-Plan Manufacturing Process of the Finished product

Thank You