ARTI – Sarai Cookstove January 10, 2012 Alan McDonald

Biogas- Provide simple easy to understand training to empower farmers to build their own biogas systems Bamboo- Teach methods to treat bamboo, making it a suitable construction material. Charcoal Production- Teach sustainable charcoal briquetting methods to meet India’s growing fuel needs Improved Cookstoves- Develop and distribute lower emission biomass stoves to address the problem of indoor air pollution

Immersion

ARTI (Appropriate Rural Technology Institute) is an organization dedicated to developing and distributing sustainable solutions to address the needs of India’s rural population.

Formed in 2006 as a for-profit branch of ARTI, Samuchit Envirotech has produced and distributed the Sarai Cooking system as well as other sustainable technologies. They now are branching out and selling products from other companies, but maintain a close relationship with ARTI.

Immersion

Samuchit Envirotech (SET)

-Works with local dealers to distribute products in rural and urban areas -Customer base is mostly urban middle class women concerned about environmental footprint and the rising cost of LP gas -Participates in local trade shows as well as occasionally hosts product demonstrations in Pune area. -With the help of their IndiaMart, as well as their own website, has sold some units to more developed markets, generally consumers prepping for natural disasters.

Samuchit is much more focused on distribution and sales on an consumer level, whereas ARTI’s distibution network is mostly other NGO’s and Governmental organizations wanting to address Indoor Air Pollution, so marketing stategies for both organizations need to reflect these differences.

Sarai Cooking System The Sarai is a low emission stove that uses charcoal to steam cook up to 3 different foods at the same time. -Uses 100g of charcoal -Cooks up to 600g of food in 45-60 minutes -Produces 88% less particulate emissions than the World Health Organizations recommened safe level -Costs about $30 US dollars -Sold in low volumes, and is relatively unknown outside the current distribution network The Sarai Cooking System is the perfect opportunity for a design intervention. By applying Design thinking to ARTI’s efforts, we can magnify the ARTI’s impact in reducing indoor air pollution.

Immersion

Immersion

Performed in-depth user research to gain consumer insight on the current Sarai model and identify areas for improvement.

Tested and analized performance of current model, and synthesized data in a readable format.

Developed higher performance burner and made design guidelines to continue the project.

Jed Farlow As a Design Impact fellow from December-May 2012, Jed was the first DI Fellow to work with ARTI. He introduced ARTI to the design process, and his work continues to be the foundation for the project’s success.

These objectives were identified through user research and discussions with key stakeholders in the project. These objectives sometimes overlap, but many times are at odds. It’s important to prioritize these objectives to meet the overall project goal, which is to increase the adoption of the Sarai Cooking System in lower income households. Durability- Most current users found out about through word of mouth, and the durability issues are widely known throughout this network. To be widely adopted the durability issues need to be addressed in an obvious way. Value- Keeping in mind that the people most effected by indoor air pollution are those of lower income, it’s important that the new model be affordable for any household, but more importantly that it delivers value beyond lower emissions to justify the initial expense. Performance- By improving performance, and reducing cooking time, the Sarai becomes a more viable option for daily cooking, and reduces dependance on LP gas and wood for cooking. Usability- Other features such portability and washability aren’t necessarily selling points for the Sarai, but help enhance the user experience and ensure the long term success of the product.

Immersion

Design Objectives

Sketching Based on Jed’s burner prototype, I generated a number of different concepts to explore how this new style of burner could fit into a steam cooking system.

Concept Generation

Concept Generation

Concept Generation ARTI staff decided to explore an option that allows the outer cylinder to be removed from a base which holds the burner. This allows for more flexible cooking options

Prototype Assembly Working with a local tin smith, we put together a functional prototype to test the functionality of the concept. We modified already available pieces such as a stainless steel bowl, and parts from the original Sarai to save prototyping costs.

Prototyping

Prototype Testing

Prototype Testing Through a number of timed tests, and side by side comparisons, the prototype out performed the original Sarai, heating up 30% faster with the same amount of charcoal.

Factory Visit We took the prototype to the current Sarai manufacturer to find out if they had the capability to produce something similar. As we found out, the factory didn’t have the tooling to make all the components, but they agreed to modify the prototype to demonstrate what their production version would look like with the current tooling.

Factory Visit

Factory Visit

Factory Prototype Using the available tooling, the Sarai manufacturer remade the prototype to more closely reflect what a production model would look like, but the results were less than flattering.

Side handles are thick and cumbersome. As a primary interaction point with the product, they should reflect the image of high end cookware

Large gap lets out heat and reduces efficiency. Without proper tooling, the manufacturer will never be able to get a consistent fit between these components.

The support legs are very long and flexible. This reduces the stability of the stove, especially while full. A more stable option needs to be explored.

Current stakeholders have invested in this manufacturer, and would prefer to continue producing the Sarai there. By working within the capabilities of the manuracturer, we can make a better, more affordable product.

Factory Visit

Manufacturer The manufacturer uses a combination of skilled labor and heavy machinery. There is no automation, and every machine is operated by someone who has perfected their technique through years of experience

Factory Visit

Factory Visit

Manufacturer Workers are extremely effiecient, churning out thousands of stainless steel pieces every day.

Factory Visit

Spin stainless steel containers of various sizes

Give containers a bulge to make them stackable

Give containers a ridge to make them stackable

Roll the edge of the containers to create a lip

Create a flange for the containers edge

Stainless steel rod up to 3mm Diameter

Stainless steel straps of various widths

Can combine methods to create simple handles

Factory Capabilities

Sketches

Refined Generation Based on the available tooling, we explored different variations of how the new model might be put together, without sacrificing performance or quality.

Rendering

Proposed Concept By utilizing the existing tooling, production costs are kept low, ARTI can source some components from other manufacturers, such as a glass lid, specialty handles, or a cast iron burner grate. These details enhance the percieved value amoungst users, making the Sarai much more marketable in the long run.

Rendering

Components Every piece is made with proven methods the manufacturer has incorporated in other products, or is sourced from a specialty manufacturer

Glass lid- sourced from another manufacturer, lets users see if the food is done without letting out heat.

Steam vessel- currently made by manufacturer, handles are adapted from “straps” and welded into place

Outer cylinder- shortened to save material, flanged upper rim gives the piece stength, while handle is easily managed with just one hand.

Burner grate- Sourced from a local cast iron manufacturer, could last 10x as long as current stainless steel grates

Burner – Allows for proper airflow, and radiates heat upwards

Base- Sturdy base, easily manufactured with current tooling, clips into outer cylinder to create one cohessive piece

Rendering

Alternative Concept If we are unable to source a glass lid from another manufacturer, we can work with the current manufacturer to create a more user friendly lid.

Refined Prototype

Refined Prototype We revised the prototype to better match the capabilities of the manufacturer. We eliminated some of the angles, and added a tab that fits into the base piece, making the entire unit more portable and easier to handle.

Refined Prototype

Testing To ensure that performance hadn’t been sacrificed with the changes made, we tested the newly developed prototype and compared the results. Initially we heated 2.5 liters of water, measuring the temperature every 5 minutes, to track the burners heat output.

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Prototype

Sarai

Fuel

ARTI Charcoal Briquette 100g- ARTI distributes and teaches the technology to produce charcoal briquettes from agricultural waste. These briquettes are sold for 25 Rupees (50 cents) per Kilogram.

Wood Charcoal 70g- In rural areas, it’s much more common for people to use wood charcoal because it’s a free resource. It’s lighter, but more energy dense, so 70g of wood charcoal is equal to 100g of the briquettes.

Fuel One of the challenges in getting accurate testing results is the inconsistency of charcoal fuel. It was important to test the Sarai’s performance with different types of charcoal to ensure that regardless of where users get their charcoal, the performance is consistant.

Recipes

Prototype testing To get a better understanding of the new prototype’s cooking performance, I worked with ARTI staff who have experience cooking with Sarai to teach me Indian cooking methods, as well as give me input on the current improvements.

Recipes

Idli Steamed rice pattys, eaten for breakfast with a spicy dipping sauce. Cooks in Prototype in about 25-30 minutes.

Dhokala An Indian cornbread, commonly eaten for breakfast. Cooks in Prototype in about 40 minutes.

Cake A delicacy in rural India, eaten only for birthdays and special occasions. Cooks in Prototype in 50-60 minutes.

Potatoes Can be used for a number of different dishes, common in India Cooks in Prototype in 35-40 minutes.

Rice A main staple for the Western Indian diet, served at most meals. Cooks in Prototype in 30-35 Minutes.

Dal A lentil-like dish served with most meals. Cooks in Prototype in about 35-40 minutes.

User Interviews/Research- Use prototypes to communicate with users and guage enthusiasm for new design and gather data to use for developing a marketing strategy. Production- Work with ARTI/Samuchit to develop a plan for production, and work with manufacture to establish quality control parameters. Marketing/Distribution- Work with ARTI and Samuchit to search out new distribution channels, and develop a marketing strategy appropriate for each organization. Evaluation- Evaluate project outcomes and make recommendations for ARTI and Design Impact for fortification.

Project Plan

Project Plan

January February March April May

Production

Marketing /Distribution

Evaluation

User Research

Thanks.

Contact: Alan McDonald alan.mcdonald@d-impact.org www.d-impact.org